「鐘雀 1 號」預定於 11 月 27 日同 TASA光學遙測衛星「福衛八號」升空

由國家太空中心(TASA)主導、創未來科技研發的 8U 立方衛星「鐘雀 1 號」(T.MicroSat-1/Bellbird-1)，預定於台灣時間 11 月 27 日隨同 TASA 自製的光學遙測衛星「福衛八號」首顆衛星(FS-8A)一同升空。「鐘雀 1 號」是創未來科技首次執行的立方衛星任務，主要目標為在軌驗證高速寬頻通訊與星間通訊技術，象徵台灣在低軌通訊應用與太空產業發展上邁出重要一步。

「鐘雀 1 號」任務隸屬於國家太空中心推動的「新創追星計畫」第二期。該計畫自 2023 年啟動，旨在結合國內產業能量與技術需求，發展三種不同類型的立方衛星星系任務，每項任務皆包含四顆立方衛星的研製與發射，並涵蓋地面站控制、衛星操作及應用服務，以培育台灣完整的低軌衛星產業鏈。

在此次任務中，創未來科技負責整體任務規劃、衛星整合、發射與營運，最終將建構由四枚 8U 立方衛星組成的「鐘雀」寬頻通訊星系。星系建置將分為兩個階段:第一階段由本次發射的一顆衛星與預計於明年 3 月發射的另一顆衛星組成，主要進行通訊酬載本體之驗證;第二階段將在明年 6 月另外兩顆衛星發射後啟動，並加入星間通訊能力的驗證。該星系的建構將為台灣奠定自主低軌寬頻衛星通訊基礎，推動 B5G 與 6G 衛星通訊技術的發展，並強化台灣在全球新太空產業中的競爭力。

「鐘雀 1 號」搭載高通量 Ka 波段雙向通訊酬載，資料傳輸速率超過 100 Mbps，將驗證多項關鍵通訊技術，包括支援多使用者場景與 100 毫秒內換手機制(handover mechanism)、1 毫秒內的波束切換(beam hopping)能力，以及速率達 1 Mbps 以上的星間通訊(Inter-satellite Link)。

此外，「鐘雀 1 號」任務亦包含三大核心目標:建立快速部署低軌道(LEO)立方衛星星系的技術能力以提供寬頻通信服務;開發應用於 LEO 星系的 B5G/6G 關鍵技術測試平台;以及驗證共乘載荷服務作為元件與子系統在軌測試平台的可行性。

Under the Startup CubeSat Program led by Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), the 8U cubesat Bellbird-1 (also known as T.MicroSat-1), independently developed by Tron Future Tech, is scheduled to launch on November 27 (Taiwan time) alongside the FORMOSAT-8 remote sensing satellites built by TASA.

Bellbird-1 is Tron Future Tech’s first cubesat mission, aimed at in-orbit verification of high-speed broadband communications and inter-satellite communication technologies, marking an important step forward for Taiwan in low-Earth-orbit (LEO) communications applications and the advancement of its space industry.

The Bellbird-1 mission is part of the second phase of TASA’s “Startup Space Program.” Launched in 2023, the program aims to integrate domestic industrial capabilities to develop three different types of cubesat constellation missions. Each mission includes the development and launch of four cubesats, as well as ground station control, satellite operations, and applications —laying the foundation for a complete LEO satellite supply chain in Taiwan.

For this mission, Tron Future Tech is responsible for overall mission planning, satellite integration, launch, and operations, ultimately building the “Bellbird” broadband communications constellation composed of four 8U cubesats. The constellation will be deployed in two phases: Phase I consists of the satellite launched in this mission and another to be launched in March next year, primarily for validating the core communications payload.

Phase II will begin after the additional two satellites are launched in June next year, and will incorporate the verification of inter-satellite communication capabilities.The constellation will establish a foundation for Taiwan’s indigenous LEO broadband satellite communications, advance B5G and 6G satellite communication technologies, and strengthen Taiwan’s competitiveness in the global space industry.

Bellbird-1 carries a Ka-band, two-way-communications payload with data transmission rates exceeding 100 Mbps. It will validate several key communication technologies, including support for multi-user scenarios and sub-100-millisecond handover mechanisms, beam hopping with switching times within 1 millisecond, and inter-satellite links (ISL) achieving speeds above 1 Mbps. In addition, the Bellbird-1 mission includes three core objectives: establishing the capability to rapidly deploy LEO cubesat constellations to provide broadband communication services; developing a B5G/6G technology test platform for LEO constellations; and verifying the feasibility of rideshare payload services as an in-orbit testing platform for components and subsystems.