Home / Space Project / Active Programs / TRITON
TRITON Program Description  Satellite Payload Indigenous Components

TRITON

Program Description

TRITON (Wind-Hunter Satellite) is a satellite of about 250kg, designed and manufactured by TASA. TRITON carries the Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R), independently developed by TASA, to collect the GNSS signal reflected by the earth surface. Its mission is to conduct researches on air-sea interaction, and typhoon intensity prediction. Taiwan is greatly affected by typhoons every year, the information of sea wave height and sea surface wind speed, retrieved from the reflected signal, are useful for the research on typhoon intensity and path prediction.


To support TRITON mission, the GNSS-R data processing module is a combined efforts of TASA, Central Weather Bureau (CWB), and domestic academic teams, which will be performed by the Taiwan RO Processing System (TROPS) to provide users the sea surface wind data. In addition, TASA cooperates with the academic and research community to study the application of sea surface reflection signal data in meteorological numerical models, which is helpful for forecasting severe weather and reducing uncertainty in disaster warning.

The TRITON satellite will be launched on an Arianespace Vega C rideshare mission. The orbit is a circular low earth orbit within the altitude around 550~650km and the inclination angle of about 98 degree.

 
  • 2023

    June - To hold Pre-Shipment Review meeting (as planned)

  • 2022

    September - Completion of separation/shock test

    August - Completion of acoustic test and vibration test

    June - Completion of solar array installation/test

    May - Completion of satellite to/from the Satellite Operation Control Center end-to-end test

    April - Completion of satellite Operation Readiness Review (ORR)

  • 2021

    December - Completion of validation of the operation interfaces between satellite and the Satellite Operation Control Center

    September - Completion of satellite system-level electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) test

    August - Completion of satellite system-level bus and payload antenna patterns measurement

  • 2020

    November - Completion of 3rd annual GNSS-R mission payload airborne test (air-naval joint-observation)

    September - Completion of 2nd annual GNSS-R mission payload airborne test (air-naval joint-observation)

    July - Completion of 1st annual GNSS-R mission payload airborne test

    July - Completion of satellite mission scenario test

    March - Effectiveness of launch service contract

    January - Effectiveness of launch & in-orbit insurance contract

  • 2019

    December - Sign of launch & in-orbit insurance contract

    November - Sign of launch service contract

    April - Completion of GNSS-R mission payload flight model acceptance test

    January - Completion of the 1st satellite Comprehensive Performance Test (CPT)

  • 2017

    December - Completion of Integration and Test Readiness Review (ITR)

  • 2015

    November - Completion of Critical Design Review (CDR)

  • 2014

    June - Completion of Preliminary Design Review (PDR)

  • 2013

    May - Completion of System Design Review (SDR)


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 TASA will be integrated for in orbit validation.

The fundamental information of TRITON is:

BUS cube shape, single deployable solar panel
DIMENSION 100 x 120 x 125 cm3
MASS ~250 kg
COMMUNICATION S-band, 32kbps uplink, 2Mbps downlink
PAYLOAD memory≧2Gbits,mass≦8kg, power≦10W
ORBIT 550~650km,inclination≈98°

Payload

The core technology of GNSS-R is based on an indigenous space grade GPS receiver. One direct signal and eight reflected GNSS signals can be received and processed simultaneously in GNSS-R. In addition, the GNSS source is programmable.

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, TASA 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 TASA. Including the Onboard Computer (OBC), the Power Control Unit (PCU), the GPS Receiver (GPSR) and the Fiber Optic Gyro (FOG).