ROCSAT 2 / FORMOSAT 2

ROCSAT 2 [Astrium]

ROCSAT 2 (Republic of China Satellite 2) is the second high-resolution Earth observation satellite for the Taiwanese National Space Program Office (NSPO) whose mission is regional remote sensing – to collect data to be used for natural disaster evaluation, agricultural applications, urban planning strategy, environmental monitoring, and ocean surveillance. In addition, the satellite’s payload will include an auroral observation instrument. Launch is planned for mid-2003.

Astrium is prime contractor for the space segment of the ROCSAT-2 programme, and is supplying both the platform (the first application of the company’s Leostar-500-XO bus) and the on-board remote-sensing instrument RSI (the first all-silicon carbide instrument). ROCSAT-2 is Astrium’s first Earth observation commercial export contract.

ROCSAT 2 has a 0.60m diameter telescope with a 2 m resolution black-and-white imager and an 8 m resolution color imager as well as a detector to study lightning 'sprites'.

ROCSAT 2 was renamed FORMOSAT 2 in December 2004.

Nation:	Taiwan
Type / Application:	Earth Observing, Science
Operator:	NSPO
Contractors:	Astrium
Equipment:	2 m resolution black-and-white imager, 8 m resolution color imager, lightning detector
Configuration:	Leostar-500-XO
Propulsion:
Lifetime:
Mass:	764 kg
Orbit:	891 km x 891 km, 99.1°

Satellite	Date	LS		Launcher	Remarks:
ROCSAT 2 -> FORMOSAT 2	20.05.2004	Va 576E		Taurus-3210

Further ROCSat / FORMOSAT missions:

Source: Astrium Website