Taiwan builds sensitive satellite equipment

Taiwan has successfully developed a key satellite component whose export is controlled by space powers, an official said Tuesday, calling it a "milestone" in efforts to build its own space technology. Three Taiwanese research and weather satellites launched between 1999 and 2006 were designed abroad. A fourth scheduled to be launched next year will be 60 percent locally made. But Taiwan had not previously managed to build equipment to receive signals from global positioning systems. On Tuesday the National Space Organisation (NSPO) announced it has developed the equipment, which is on the export control list of space powers like the United States, France and Germany, according to AFP.