福爾摩沙衛星三號計畫

FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC Mission

福爾摩沙衛星三號（以下簡稱福衛三號）計畫為台灣與美國雙邊合作任務，自2006年4月15日發射至2010年已執行近5年任務，福衛三號掩星資料的貢獻獲得「太空中最精準的溫度計」的美譽。目前，我國中央氣象局及全球各氣象中心，如歐盟、美國、法國、日本、韓國和加拿大等已將資料納入數值天氣預報作業系統中，進行逐日全球天氣分析及作業預報，且全球共有54個國家超過1,400個使用者註冊使用福衛三號觀測資料，進行氣象、氣候及太空天氣等領域的科學研究。雖然福衛三號6顆衛星的健康狀態有衰退現象，但仍持續對大氣層與電離層進行觀測，每日可提供約1,000點的觀測資料，仍為國際間最重要的掩星資料提供者。 The FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC(ConstellationObserving System for Meteorology, Ionosphere andClimate) satellites, a joint venture between Taiwanand USA, have successfully operated for over 5 yearsnow since its launch on April 15, 2006 and deemedas“the world's most accurate, precise, and stableatmospheric thermometer in space.”Including CentralWeather Forecasting Bureau of Taiwan, the numericalweather prediction centers at Europe, the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, and Canada graduallyincorporate GPS RO data for daily local and globalweather forecasting. Up to this moment, over 1, 351registered users from 51 nations have signed up forthe FORMOSAT-3 measurements aiming at weatherprediction, space weather forecasting, and climatemonitoring related scientific research. Although thestate of health has gradually degraded, 6 spacecraftsof FORMOSAT-3 constellation still manage to provide1, 000 daily RO sounding points for atmospheric and theionospheric observation and is, therefore, consideredone of the most important RO data providers.