US aerospace society recognizes Taiwan-Japan CubeSat for imaging capabilities

美國航太學會表彰台日CubeSat（立方衛星）之影像技術

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The CubeSat “OnglaiSat” won the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Small Satellite Mission of the Year award during the Small Satellite Conference held in the US last week.

The satellite is a collaboration between the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), the University of Tokyo’s ISSL aerospace laboratory, Japanese satellite company ArkEdge Space, and Space BD, a Japanese space business and services firm, CNA reported. TASA developed the Korsch optical payload, while the University of Tokyo developed the 6U CubeSat platform.

A CubeSat is a type of cost-effective nanosatellite used for missions, such as scientific research and testing new technologies, according to NASA. They can also be used in constellations or swarms for advanced missions.

Measuring 6U (30 × 20 × 10 cm), the OnglaiSat was recognized by AIAA for successfully validating high-end optical and imaging control technologies on such a small platform. The achievement marks a new milestone in the commercialization of global microsatellite constellations and high-frequency, high-resolution Earth observation, per CNA. It is also the first time a space mission developed by Japanese and Taiwanese teams has received this honor.

The satellite was launched into low Earth orbit from the International Space Station in December 2024. It successfully captured images in early 2025 and completed more than 100 imaging missions within about two months of initial operations, according to CNA.

TASA said that the satellite integrates a high-precision attitude determination and control system with an advanced optical remote sensing payload to take images with a ground resolution of 2.44 meters. Using time-delay integration imaging technology, it achieved a signal-to-noise ratio above 100.

Its achievement demonstrates the potential of small, low-cost satellites to perform high-resolution optical Earth observation missions, TASA added.