Rapidtek Technologies recently announced successful signal reception from the ‘Nightjar’ 3U CubeSat, which was developed under commission from the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA). This mission verified Rapidtek’s in-house communication payload in orbit and reached Technology Readiness Level 8 (TRL 8), confirming the system’s maturity for commercial deployment. The mission reflects Rapidtek’s Earth-to-space capability and Taiwan’s role in the satellite supply chain.
The Nightjar satellite represents one of Taiwan’s few privately led efforts to design, develop, and operate low Earth orbit (LEO) communication satellites. The core mission focused on in-orbit verification of Rapidtek’s self-developed communication payload. Beyond simply receiving a beacon signal, Rapidtek successfully tested a communication link through its proprietary module, confirming the stability and functionality of the satellite’s communication chain.
Rapidtek’s ground station successfully received signals, and UHF amateur radio operators worldwide confirmed the satellite’s operation. With support from the ground station at National Central University (NCU), the satellite was able to achieve stable communication capabilities as well as reliable command and telemetry reception. Faculty members from NCU also contributed to the functional development of the payload, ensuring stable performance in orbit. Furthermore, Rapidtek activated its Ku-band communication payload, demonstrating a private enterprise’s capability to design, develop, and operate high-frequency payloads.
To support this mission, Rapidtek partnered with National Taipei University of Technology (NTUT) to establish Taiwan’s first privately built Ku-band ground receiving station. This facility not only ensured the successful reception of signals during the mission but also laid the foundation for future high-frequency satellite applications and commercial deployment.
The success of this communication represents Rapidtek’s full-chain integration capabilities, covering independent design, production, and testing of satellite payloads, as well as the establishment of ground infrastructure and operational management. It also paves the way for the development of high-throughput satellite (HTS) systems, multi-band satellite constellations, and large-scale commercial deployment.
Building on the success of the Nightjar mission, Rapidtek has launched the next phase of the Startup CubeSat Program with TASA. Between late 2025 and mid-2026, four 8U IoT CubeSats will launch aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets to form a preliminary communication constellation, demonstrating the company’s commitment to scalable satellite communication deployment. The programme strengthens close cooperation, extending current satellite operations and addressing complex communication and integration challenges. By integrating technology and resources, it advances Taiwan’s LEO satellite technology, accelerates the alignment of private companies with national space strategies, and positions Rapidtek as an industry leader.
Rapidtek’s next-generation 8U IoT CubeSat, developed under the Startup CubeSat Program, features a more advanced and complex architecture than the 3U CubeSat, enabling it to handle more demanding missions. This flight focuses on three core verifications: confirming the completeness of each module and the satellite’s precise pointing capability; validating Rapidtek’s self-developed IoT payload, including Ku-band high-speed communication, LoRa low-speed communication, and Ku-band inter-satellite links; and assessing the high-precision GPS receiver provided by the TASA to ensure stable orbit positioning, along with the space-grade GPGPU’s ability to reliably process and analyse data under harsh conditions such as high radiation and low temperatures.
Rapidtek’s first 8U CubeSat under the Startup CubeSat Program, Black Kite‑1, has completed environmental testing and entered the launch preparation phase, while assembly of the second satellite is already in progress. Through ongoing deployment and payload verification, Rapidtek aims to establish an initial constellation by 2026, creating a LEO communications platform ready for commercial use.
This platform will support constellation communications and extend coverage to remote areas where traditional networks cannot reach, helping to overcome current connectivity barriers. The programme also highlights three key investment strengths: proven core technologies with scalable potential, integrated functions combining phased‑array antenna modules, inter‑satellite links, and IoT applications, as well as a global market strategy beginning in 2026 with initial deployments in Asia.
“Successful communication with Nightjar marks a major milestone in satellite communications for Rapidtek. The 8U CubeSat IoT constellation programme represents a key step toward scalable satellite communications deployment,” said the Rapidtek team. “Rapidtek will continue to drive private-sector innovation and strengthen partnerships with academia and international collaborators. It will also enhance Taiwan’s role in the global LEO communication ecosystem. We thank TASA for its long‑term support and look forward to advancing space applications together.”
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