First Taiwan satellite launch is delayed

THE LAUNCH OF Taiwan's Rocsat 1 communications satellite in April 1998 could be delayed by the need to redesign the spacecraft's solar panels.

Taiwan National Space and US company TRW - which has a $61 million contract - are building the spacecraft, which is set for an $18 million commercial launch on the Lockheed Martin Launch Vehicle, LMLV 1.

Engineers have discovered that the solar panels will not be able to withstand the estimated LMLV launch loads because, of potential launch vehicle-satellite interface problems. Liu Chao-shiuan, chairman of Taiwan's National Science Council, says: "We must try to fix the problems and reduce such risk to a minimum level."

Source: Flight International