SpaceX Explosion Probably Will Delay Taiwanese Imaging Satellite

The first satellite developed by Taiwan’s space program probably will be delayed after an explosion last week destroyed the SpaceX rocket that was supposed to carry it into space. The island’s remote-sensing satellite may not get to enter orbit before the end of this year, H.P. Chang, director of the Formosat-5 program at Taiwan’s National Space Organization, told foreign correspondents on Tuesday. A launch originally had been set for the second quarter, Taiwan said in March. U.S. investigators are looking into why the Falcon 9 rocket, developed by billionaire Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp., blew up on Sept. 1 before a scheduled test launch in Cape Canaveral, Florida. More

(Source: Bloomberg - Sep 7)