Taiwan's First International Lunar Mission Set to Launch in Q4 This Year
"In 1969, the Apollo program successfully landed humans on the moon, marking the beginning of the great dream of lunar exploration. In recent years, countries worldwide have actively engaged in missions aimed at 'returning to the moon.' Under the leadership of National Central University, Taiwan is set to embark on its first international lunar mission in 2024. The autonomously developed 'Deep Space Radiation Probe' by National Central University has been transported to the JAXA Tsukuba Space Center in Japan. The research findings will be integrated with the lunar rover from the Japanese private lunar exploration company ispace, part of the HAKUTO-R Mission 2. The launch is expected to take place in the earliest fourth quarter of this year, fostering international collaboration in deep space and connecting Taiwan with the global space industry.
The Director of the Department of Space Science and Engineering at National Central University explained that 'deep space' refers to the space environment beyond 2,000 kilometers from Earth, presenting rigorous challenges due to the harsh ionizing radiation environment. Yang Wing Advanced Technology introduced and facilitated the collaboration between National Central University and the space service company SpaceBD for the 'Deep Space Radiation Probe' (DSRP). The DSRP is integrated into ispace's HAKUTO-R Mission 2 lunar mission, having undergone successful ground testing and verification. It was transported to the JAXA Tsukuba Space Center in Japan in December last year, in preparation for participation in the ispace HAKUTO-R Mission 2.
The 'Deep Space Radiation Probe' by National Central University is Taiwan's first deep space scientific payload, designed to understand the deep space radiation environment and its impact on human technological products. Weighing only 400 grams, equivalent to half a catty of tea leaves, it was entirely designed by National Central University, drawing on past experiences from the development and actual flight of IDEASSat (Flying Squirrel). The probe has been improved to enhance ionizing radiation tolerance, minimizing the risks associated with ionizing radiation while ensuring thermal control for the proper functioning of hardware and software in the harsh space environment."
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