Program: Formosat

Also called COSMIC (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climat)

United States and Taiwan scientific program

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Formosat 3

Worth $100 million. Originally known as Rocsat 3.

Six satellites were ordered in Mar 2001. OSC should provide them for $56 million. The program intially called for 8 satellites.

It will take 13 months for all satellites to settle in their designed orbital planes with a longitudinal separation of 24 degree, altitude of about 700-800 km, and inclination of 72 degrees.

In Oct 2007, it is announced that only 3 out of 6 satellites are still operational.

In May 2008, the satellites recorded a sharp drop in ionospheric density above China's Sichuan Province before the Earthquake. That could verify previous records that seismic activities affect ionospheric density.

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Formosat 7 / COSMIC 2

6 satellites launched in 2019 (originally planned in 2016).

In 2013, SSTL received a contract to provide upto 12 satellites for the Formosat 7 / cosmic 2 constellation. Each satellite is less than 200 kg. Will carry a Galileo receiver and collect atmospheric data for weather forecast. Based on an SSTL bus.

Carry a GPS-RO meteorology payload.

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External resources

http://www.cosmic.ucar.edu/

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