Home / Space Project / Active Programs / TRITON
Program Description
TRITON (Wind-Hunter Satellite) is a satellite designed and manufactured by NSPO. TRITON Program plans to develop a 300-kg class satellite equipped with the Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) developed by NSPO to collect GNSS signals reflected from the Earth surface in low Earth orbit and conduct researches on soil characteristics, air-sea interaction, and typhoon intensity prediction. Among them, because Taiwan is greatly affected by typhoons every year, information such as retrived sea wave height and sea surface wind speed are set to conduct the research on typhoon intensity and path prediction.
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In order to support TRITON mission, the Taiwan Radio Occultation Processing System (TROPS) developed under cooperation among NSPO, Central Weather Bureau (CWB), and domestic academic teams will add a new GNSS-R processing module to provide users with retrieved wind speed data. NSPO is also working with several academic teams to conduct researches on retrieved wind speed data application in numerical weather prediction.
The TRITON satellite communication interface is fully compatible with FORMOSAT-7 mission. Therefore, all FORMOSAT-7 ground stations (including Taiwan's) can support TRITON operations.
The TRITON mission is considering to take a rideshare launch. The orbit is expected to be a circular low earth orbit within the altitude around 500~600km and the inclination angle of no less than 24 degree. The final orbit parameters will be confirmed by the primary payload of the launch service.
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2022
June - 022 Q4 - planned to be launched
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2020
November - The 3rd annual GNSS-R airborne test (air-naval test)
September - The 2nd annual GNSS-R airborne test (air-naval test)
July - The 1st annual GNSS-R airborne test
July - Complete Mission Test #1
March - Launch Service Contract effective
January - Launch & In-Orbit Insurance Contract effective
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2019
December - Sign the Launch & In-Orbit Insurance Contract
November - Sign the Launch Service Contract
April - GNSS-R Flight Model acceptance test
January - preliminary Comprehensive Performance Test, CPT
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2017
December - Integration and Test Review meeting, ITR
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2015
November - Critical Design Review meeting, CDR
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2014
June - Preliminary Design Review meeting, PDR
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2013
May - System Design Review meeting, SDR
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The 2nd annual GNSS-R airborne test The 3rd annual GNSS-R airborne test
Satellite
Similar to FORMOSAT-7, the TRITON satellite bus is a cube with a deployable solar panel at single side. Several critical components, flight software and payload instrument developed by NSPO will be integrated for in orbit validation.
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The fundamental information of TRITON is:
| BUS | cube shape, single deployable solar panel |
|---|---|
| DIMENSION | 100 x 120 x 125 cm3 |
| MASS | 280 kg |
| COMMUNICATION | S-band, 32kbps uplink, 2Mbps downlink |
| PAYLOAD | memory≧2Gbits，mass≦8kg, power≦10W |
| ORBIT | 500~600km, inclination≧24° |
Payload
The core technology of GNSS-R is based on an indigenous space grade GPS receiver. One direct signal and four reflected GNSS signals can be received and processed simultaneously in GNSS-R.
Except GNSS-R instrument, the system includes a high gain antenna, a low noise amplifier and a multi-channel RF front end. All component developments and verifications are completed, and are integrated onto satellite.
Besides hardware development, NSPO also working along with academic team to promote GNSS-R researches and applications in order to benefit weather forecast and disaster prevention.
▲ GNSS-R
Indigenous Components
Inside the TRITON satellite, several critical components are developed by NSPO. Including the Onboard Computer (OBC), the Power Control Unit (PCU), the GPS Receiver (GPSR) and the Fiber Optic Gyro (FOG).
