With SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service making strides in various countries, global space technology and business opportunities have been rapidly expanding. In March 2022, SpaceX announced that Starlink had reached 250,000 subscribers. According to the Satellite Industry Association (SIA), the global satellite industry's revenue reached $270.6 billion in 2020, and TrendForce's research indicates that the global satellite market's value is expected to reach $295 billion in 2022, with a year-on-year growth rate of 3.3%. This satellite boom has prompted Taiwan's satellite manufacturers to penetrate the international supply chain, providing critical components for international giants' ground terminal equipment.
To enable more businesses to grasp the trends in international low Earth orbit satellite development, on May 25th, the Bureau of Industrial Development of the Ministry of Economic Affairs organized the "Satellite Industry Opportunity Sharing - From Satellite 2022 to Taiwan's Low Earth Orbit Satellite Opportunity Sharing Salon." The event invited six companies that participated in the international satellite exhibition SATELLITE 2022 to share their first-hand observations from the world's largest satellite event.
The Bureau of Industrial Development stated that from March 22nd to 24th, in collaboration with the National Space Organization, they gathered nine companies under the "Taiwan Space" pavilion to participate in SATELLITE 2022, showcasing Taiwan's industrial strength. Within just three days of the exhibition, nearly a thousand international customers and investors visited the pavilion, and the exhibitors received positive feedback on the results.
Through the coordination of the government's Taiwan pavilion, the displayed content expanded from traditional communication components to include control systems, communication, and telemetry payloads, various integrated ground terminal equipment systems, and next-generation communication key modules and components. This year, through dozens of satellite communication products, Taiwan showcased its latest research and development achievements in the satellite industry, making Taiwan visible on the global stage. The plan is to expand the exhibition in the year 2023 to shine a spotlight on more Taiwanese companies worldwide.
The companies participating in the sharing salon today included Lens Technology, FutureTech, Yaotek, Raycom, Sentech, and Fanghsing Technology. They discussed international trends and industry development from various perspectives such as "Satellite Antenna Research and Manufacturing" and "Satellite Testing Services and Solutions."
In the field of satellite antenna research and manufacturing, the participating companies expressed that with the advent of the B5G/6G communication era, emerging applications like autonomous driving, maritime, aviation, IoT, and communication demands are continually growing. The global seamless coverage of low Earth orbit satellites, combined with 5G high-speed broadband communication, will be the trend in global communications. To meet the diverse communication needs in different scenarios, Taiwanese manufacturers are developing various types of phased-array antennas to cater to the requirements of international giants.
TMYTEK mentioned that while traditional dish antennas remain mainstream at the satellite exhibition, flat-array antennas have garnered significant attention, with many traditional antenna manufacturers inquiring about Taiwanese companies' products. The company unveiled the world's largest commercial/defense low-temperature co-fired ceramic Ka-band phased-array antenna at the satellite exhibition. Tron Future Tech emphasized the importance of electronic scanning phased-array radar technology in satellites and drones. They expressed gratitude for the Bureau of Industrial Development's research subsidy program and revealed their ongoing development of automotive thin-glass flat-panel satellite antennas, which, when successfully mass-produced, will significantly reduce antenna costs. Auden Techno Corp. observed that Taiwanese companies were well-received by international businesses at the satellite exhibition, mainly due to their flexible manufacturing, geographical proximity, and security advantages. The growing demand for low Earth orbit satellite communication has prompted the company to develop ground-receiving terminal equipment and related system software.
Rapidtek Technologies highlighted the significance of collaborative efforts in facing international competition. The company expressed appreciation for the government's planning of the Taiwan pavilion, which was crucial for Taiwanese manufacturers to gain recognition at the satellite exhibition. They are currently uniting with other industry players to jointly develop ground terminal equipment. Universal Microwave Technology, Inc. emphasized its expertise in satellite communication transceivers and receivers, with ground stations and satellite RF components as their main research areas. Pyras Technology Inc. stressed Taiwan's advantage in distant water fisheries, where maritime communication is crucial. They have already developed maritime satellite terminal equipment and have plans to launch a commercial cubic satellite in 2023.
Besides outlining recent industry developments and the achievements of the joint exhibition in March, the event also invited the National Space Organization to share the latest insights observed at SATELLITE 2022, including concepts of sustainable space environment protection, international space stations, war communications, and NASA's open commercial space activities. Digitimes analyzed global satellite communication industry trends and opportunities, aiming to provide financial-related industries and companies interested in the satellite industry with a faster understanding of global opportunities and domestic development conditions, thereby gaining investment confidence and attracting more cross-industry players to invest in the satellite industry.