Republic of China's First Spacecraft Delivered by TRW; ROCSAT-1 Marks New Chapter in ROC Space Development.

REDONDO BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 19, 1997--The Republic of China's first spacecraft, ROCSAT-1, was delivered by TRW Inc. (NYSE:TRW) to Taiwan on May 16.

ROCSAT-1 was shipped by freighter aircraft to Chaing Kai Shek International Airport and driven about 50 miles to the industrial city of Hsin-Chu, headquarters of the Republic's National Space Program Office (NSPO). At the Hsin-Chu facilities, the spacecraft's payload will be integrated onto the bus, and final satellite-level system test and integration will be performed by NSPO.

The spacecraft bus was designed and built by TRW's Space & Electronics Group in Redondo Beach, Calif. TRW also trained engineers from ROC's National Space Program Office (NSPO) in spacecraft development, and worked closely with ROC companies to transfer the technology skills and knowledge necessary to design, build and test space-qualified hardware.

"We are proud to have made this contribution to Republic of China's space program," said Paul Sasaki, vice president and general manager of TRW's Civil & International Systems Division. "Both the NSPO engineers and the ROC component companies have gained valuable experience and established credentials that enhance the Republic's space development infrastructure and will support its activities far into the future."

In 1994, TRW was awarded a four-year, $61 million contract to build ROCSAT-1. ROCSAT-1 is a modular, 400 kilogram (880 pounds), lightweight satellite that will be launched from a Lockheed Martin Launch Vehicle-1 into a low-Earth orbit to perform its experimental science mission.

The satellite hosts ROC-built space physics, oceanography and communications experiments. The space physics experiment will gather data on the ionosphere near Taiwan; the low resolution camera will image ocean colors to determine such things as the presence of photoplankton, pollution and outfall from rivers; and the communications experiment will investigate Ka-band telecommunications relay performance.

TRW shared its satellite design and development capabilities with some 28 NSPO engineers. Resident at TRW for almost three years, NSPO engineers participated in program activities as full members of the development team, honing the technical and managerial skills needed to design, build, test, launch and operate a spacecraft. The NSPO engineers have returned to Taiwan, where they are currently making preparations for the satellite-level integration and test of ROCSAT-1.

TRW also worked closely with ROC companies to build high reliability space-qualified components for ROCSAT-1. The components, which include an on-board computer built by Acer Sertek; a remote interface unit, built by TranSystem Inc.; and an S-band omni antenna and an RF assembly for the S-band link, built by Victory Industrial Corp., passed rigorous testing to ensure they will survive the harsh environment of space.

ROCSAT-1 is a member of the TRW lightsat family, a series of small, modular satellites whose flexible design is readily tailored to mission-specific requirements. The spacecraft consists of three modules, a core module which provides spacecraft housekeeping functions; a reaction control subsystem module that provides orbit adjust capability; and a payload module, which hosts the science experiments and electronics.

TRW Space & Electronics Group has built more than 190 communications, scientific and defense spacecraft; produced, integrated and tested more than 130 payloads; developed more than 200 advanced space instruments; and integrated some 550 experiments into spacecraft.

It is an operating unit of TRW Inc., which provides advanced technology products and services for the automotive and space and defense markets worldwide. TRW's 1996 sales totaled approximately $10 billion.

CONTACT: TRW Inc.

Sally Koris, 310/812-4721