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Austin-based CesiumAstro on Tuesday won the Taiwan Space Agency’s bid for a payload to be used in the country’s first Beyond 5G satellite.

The contract award is valued at NT$880 million (US$26.5 million) and calls for installing a communications payload on the low earth orbit satellite, per CNA. Spearheaded by TASA, the move is seen as Taiwan’s first step toward establishing an independent satellite communications network.

5G is a cellular communications technology that allows for a peak speed of 20 gigabits per second. B5G kicks it up a notch with ultra-low latency, low power consumption, and integration into the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI.

TASA’s B5G program involves developing two experimental satellites, 1A and 1B, designed to verify satellite-to-ground communications. Planned applications include backup data communications, disaster prevention, and maritime IoT.

The program will also provide Taiwanese satellite ground equipment manufacturers with a complete end-to-end testing environment, offering companies aspiring to enter the space-grade communications industry an opportunity to develop and test their equipment.

Founded in 2017, CesiumAstro specializes in satellite and aerospace communication systems, and its customers include NASA, per Mirror Media. Additionally, Quanta Computer announced last year that it had invested US$15 million in CesiumAstro.

Date: 2025-4-1
Source: Taiwan News