Customer
Organization
Taiwan Space Agency (TASA)
Mission
FORMOSAT-8A (FS-8A) Earth observation satellite
Overview
Advanced Earth observation missions generate massive volumes of high-resolution imagery, requiring high-data-rate downlinks and efficient ground processing. To strengthen Taiwan’s indigenous satellite ground infrastructure, TASA partnered with YTTEK in support of the nation’s FORMOSAT program. Building on HyperSDR’s proven performance with FORMOSAT-5 and NASA’s Landsat-8/9 satellites, the system successfully received and decoded live imagery from the newly launched FORMOSAT-8A (FS-8A), demonstrating its mission-proven performance for high-data-rate Earth observation missions.
Challenges
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Fostering an indigenous space ecosystem
To cultivate domestic aerospace capabilities and elevate the national space supply chain, TASA sought a resilient Low Earth Orbit (LEO) ground solution built entirely upon locally developed technology.
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High-data-rate bottlenecks
The continuous evolution of Earth observation missions demands adaptable ground stations capable of rapid deployment, multi-mission support, and handling vastly increased data transmission volumes without bottlenecks.
YTTEK solutions
To support the FS-8A communications link, TASA deployed YTTEK’s HyperSDR Satellite Ground Station Modem as the mission’s high-speed X-band receiver. Powered by YTTEK’s proprietary software-defined radio (SDR) technology, HyperSDR enables rapid software-based reconfiguration for different satellite missions and communication protocols without requiring hardware changes. This flexible architecture shortens deployment time, reduces operating costs, and provides a robust, scalable foundation for future non-terrestrial networks (NTNs).
Results
1. Successful high-data-rate image decoding
On April 27, 2026, HyperSDR successfully decoded FS-8A downlink data, demonstrating its ability to process massive payloads seamlessly. The system’s processing power enabled the instantaneous reconstruction of the 0.7-meter-resolution optical imagery of Alibag, India.
2. Continuous high-volume data processing
HyperSDR provides 2.25 Gbps of processing throughput per channel and supports a downlink data rate of 600 Mbps. This enables space agencies to process large volumes of 0.7-meter-resolution imagery without bottlenecks. The system has processed more than 2 TB of telemetry, and the total continues to grow with each LEO pass.
| Feature | FORMOSAT-5 | FORMOSAT-8A |
| Image resolution (color) | 4 meters | 0.7 meters |
| Downlink data rate | 150 Mbps | 600 Mbps |
3. Real-time signal processing verification
HyperSDR operational interface provides a real-time view of the complete receive and decode process. The GUI demonstrates:
- Constellation plot and Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) indicating exceptional demodulation quality.
- A green Frame Sync indicator confirming that the modem has detected the expected frame structure.
- Spectrum display and RF power level indicator for input signals.
- Cumulative Transfer Frame (TF) counts verifying continuous data processing during live satellite passes.
Together, these indicators allow operators to verify signal acquisition, demodulation, frame synchronization, signal processing, and data output in real time.
Related product
HyperSDR Satellite Ground Station Modem
• Fully CCSDS and DVB-S2 compliant
• Proven success in realworld space missions
• Ultra-wide frequency support up to 15 GHz, covering X and Ku bands
• Ultra-fast 2.25 Gbps throughput per channel
• 500 Msps RF recording for in-depth signal analysis
• SDR flexibility to adapt to future requirement changes
