A US satellite startup will launch the first communications satellite dedicated to Taiwan, strengthening the self-ruled democracy’s resilience against possible Chinese attempts to impose an information blackout in the event of an invasion. Astranis Space Technologies Corp. will partner with Taiwan’s biggest telecommunications company Chunghwa Telecom Co. to dedicate a MicroGEO satellite to the island, according to a statement from the San Francisco-based startup. The geostationary orbit satellite is scheduled for launch by the end of this year and is set to provide full bandwidth as early as next year, the statement said. Access to the Internet via a satellite link would likely be crucial for Taiwan to maintain communications if a Chinese attack were to disrupt its networks. China has increased tensions with the government in Taipei, holding at least seven sets of drills of varying intensity around Taiwan since President Lai Ching-te took office in May last year. That’s the most that any leader in Taiwan has faced since democratic elections were first held some three decades ago. Taiwan has faced a greater urgency to build a communications backup system after some subsea cables linking the Taiwanese mainland with its smaller offshore islands were broken.

Full report : US satellite startup Astranis and Taiwanese telco Chunghwa plan to launch a dedicated MicroGEO satellite by the end of 2025, with full bandwidth as soon as 2026.