Taiwan's RunSpace competition includes lunar micromissions
台灣的RunSpace競賽包括月球微型任務
| TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan launched the latest edition of its RunSpace Innovation Challenge, a government-backed initiative designed to encourage entrepreneurs and engineers to turn space ambitions into practical missions, including micromissions for future lunar exploration.
The competition, organized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Industrial Development Administration, in cooperation with international space enterprises, focuses this year on technical capability and real-world problem-solving. The competition features two tracks, the Implementation Category and the ispace Sponsor Special Topic, streamlined from the previous three-track format. The contest is open to participants of all nationalities, ages, and professional backgrounds. All submissions and presentations will be conducted in English, underscoring the competition’s international focus. Submission areas remain unchanged, spanning five major space-related fields: ground equipment and services, satellite manufacturing, satellite launch, satellite applications, and other related technologies. In response to the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, the organizer is encouraging teams to integrate AI into proposed space technologies. Prize money for the Implementation Category has been increased, with the winning team set to receive NT$350,000 (US$12,688), up from NT$300,000 in previous editions. Cooperation with international industry players This year’s competition is sponsored by ispace inc., a global lunar exploration company, as the strategic partner to initiate this year’s Sponsor Special Topic. Other international partners include Ariane Group, ArkEdge Space, Astranis, Loft Orbital and Novaspace. As part of the Sponsor Special Topic, ispace is supporting a competition that challenges teams to design a “micromission” for the moon, which weighs no more than 5 kilograms and measures up to 8U in size. The proposal, for potential deployment from ispace’s ULTRA lunar lander, must include an innovative payload suitable for future lunar missions, operating either on the lunar surface or in lunar orbit. ispace is currently developing its ULTRA lunar lander for upcoming lunar missions. The company’s vision is to establish high-frequency, low-cost lunar transportation that enables groundbreaking scientific discoveries and commercial innovations on the Moon. The micromission proposal may focus on scientific objectives for related payloads such as studying radiation environments, thermal systems, or lunar geology. It may also include industrial applications for the payload, including lunar mining, resource collection, 3D-printed construction, or water electrolysis. And finally, payloads can have commercial applications such as supporting a broader cislunar ecosystem, such as communications support equipment, positioning, navigation, and timing sensors, or space situational awareness observatories. The winning team for the sponsor challenge will receive a NT$20,000 prize and an opportunity to visit ispace’s new headquarters in Tokyo for a facility tour, including a dedicated pitch and knowledge-sharing session with ispace technical leads and representatives. ispace will further support the winners by providing a curated list of recommended Japanese space companies and organizations to facilitate future exploration within the global space ecosystem. The participants will gain valuable experience by learning from ispace professionals who have navigated real lunar logistics challenges, drawing on their flight heritage and operational experience. Space talent development Taiwan has expanded its RunSpace Innovation Challenge this year while highlighting strong results from previous editions. Launched in 2022, the RunSpace competition has attracted about 720 participants with 270 space-related technology proposals, with international entrants accounting for nearly 20% of the total from 17 countries. Teams have come from diverse technical backgrounds, including overseas participants, presenting proposals ranging from satellite systems to space applications. The organizer said the RunSpace initiative reflects Taiwan’s strategy to link talent cultivation, international cooperation, and commercialization, while encouraging teams to transform ideas into viable space missions. Multiple training and mentoring activities will be held during the early stages of the competition and after the finalists are announced. These sessions aim to help participants refine their technical concepts and strengthen commercialization strategies. Competition deadline For more information, please visit the RunSpace website. Submissions will be accepted until 1 p.m., June 30, 2026. |
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| Sean Scanlan Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2026-04-29 |
