Taiwan's Legislative Yuan is set to open its new session on September 19, with top priority given to reviewing the central government's proposed budget for 2026. Among the notable items on the docket is a significant investment in the island's nascent space ambitions.
Transcom, a specialist in high-power amplifiers, is making bold strides into the dual frontiers of national defense and space communications. Leveraging its deep expertise in compound semiconductor technologies such as gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN), the company is expanding the application of its amplifier technology to address both pressing geopolitical demands and the rapidly growing low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite market.
SpaceX is reportedly working with semiconductor manufacturers to develop a custom chip that will enable its upcoming direct-to-device (D2D) satellite communication service, aimed at connecting ordinary smartphones directly to its Starlink satellite network. The service is slated for testing by the end of 2026, marking a major step in the company's ambitious plan to reshape global connectivity.
Taiwan's first domestically-built meteorological satellite, Triton, has taken a major leap forward in its mission to enhance storm forecasting. After entering orbit in 2023 and beginning wind monitoring in May 2024, the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) announced on August 28 a significant data upgrade: Triton's wind-speed observations now include both low and high-speed measurements in its Version 2.0 data release, offering unprecedented accuracy for forecasting and research. The new dataset is already available to researchers via the Taiwan Analysis Center for COSMIC (TACC).
Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) has launched a major initiative to industrialize communications satellite manufacturing, aiming to position Taiwan as a key player in the global low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite ecosystem. The newly announced program, with a budget of NT$2.49 billion (approx. US$81 million), is more than just a satellite procurement plan—it's a strategic investment to cultivate full-scale satellite system integration capabilities within Taiwan's domestic tech industry.
As global geopolitical tensions mount, artificial intelligence (AI) and high-speed communications are rapidly transforming the nature of warfare. The traditional hardware-driven arms race is giving way to a new paradigm—one defined by software-centric systems and integrated multi-domain operations. For Taiwan's ICT sector, this shift opens new strategic opportunities, with firms like Tron Future stepping up to meet growing defense and satellite demands with AI-driven system integration solutions.
As Microsoft intensifies its focus on artificial intelligence, several non-AI-related divisions have faced significant cuts — with the Azure Space satellite initiative reportedly among the latest casualties. While the tech giant confirmed that Azure Space has not been fully discontinued, several of its products have been retired or shifted in scope. The number of employees affected by these changes remains unclear.
Despite foreign exchange headwinds and delayed shipments in the second quarter, Universal Microwave Technology (UMT) is doubling down on the fast-growing low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite market. President Dr. Tungyi Wu said the company's LEO revenue grew 40% year-over-year in the first half of 2025, for the first time accounting for more than half of total sales.
