Taiwan's government-backed low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite initiative—part of its Beyond 5G (B5G) communications technology roadmap—is facing mounting challenges, with progress on planned satellite launches and communications testing now uncertain. Despite plans to deploy six experimental satellites, officials acknowledge that the program is unlikely to evolve into a commercially viable system.
As global demand for unmanned aerial systems accelerates, Taiwan is positioning itself as a potential cornerstone in the Pentagon's Replicator initiative—a program launched in 2023 to deploy thousands of small, low-cost, and reusable drones by 2025.
Amazon's satellite internet venture, Project Kuiper, is accelerating its expansion into Asia, with a focus on South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan — three strategically vital nations amid rising demand for resilient communications infrastructure and growing competition in low-Earth orbit (LEO) connectivity.