TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The first of Taiwan’s new Formosat-9 satellites will enter orbit in 2028 with a second in 2030, Taiwan Space Agency said Wednesday.

Speaking before the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee, TASA Director Wu Tsung-hsin (吳宗信) confirmed the launch timeline, per CNA. He added that Taiwan will continue to rely on commercial synthetic aperture radar (SAR) providers until its own satellites are operational.

SAR is a type of imaging technology that uses radar waves to map the Earth’s surface. SAR satellites can capture images day and night, regardless of cloud cover or weather conditions, making them ideal for Taiwan’s humid and often cloudy climate, according to TASA.

DPP Legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) raised concerns about Chinese rubber boats evading coastal radar and asked if SAR tech could help detect such threats. Wu said that with enough SAR satellites in orbit, monitoring these small vessels would be feasible.

Wu acknowledged the need for broader surveillance coverage. When asked whether long-endurance drones equipped with SAR tech could fill the gap, Wu said it was outside TASA’s jurisdiction but agreed such drones could enhance large-area monitoring.

Chung further inquired about inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) technology.  Wu explained that SAR is best for imaging stationary targets, while ISAR can capture moving objects, and pledged support to interested government agencies.