---
title: "Taiwan Successfully Tests Its First Indigenous Sounding Rocket, Maraho — A Step Toward Orbital Launch"
description: "Taiwan's space agency successfully tested its first indigenous sounding rocket, Maraho: the vehicle reached 8.1 km and a speed of Mach 1.2, transmitting telemetry to the ground. This is a step toward an orbital launch targeted for 2034."
date: 2026-08-23T17:24:26.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/taiwan-successfully-tests-first-indigenous-maraho-rocket
tags: [taiwan, space, tasa, maraho-rocket, orbital-launch, aerospace]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Taiwan Successfully Tests Its First Indigenous Sounding Rocket, Maraho — A Step Toward Orbital Launch

![Taiwan's Maraho sounding rocket during its test launch against a grey sky](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/24/tayvan-uspeshno-ispital-pervuyu-sobstvennuyu-raketu-maraho/tayvan-uspeshno-ispital-pervuyu-sobstvennuyu-raketu-maraho-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- TASA successfully tested its first independently developed sounding rocket, Maraho (previously SR400), on August 22, 2026, from the Xuhai range in Pingtung County.
- The rocket reached an altitude of 8.1 km and a speed of 408 m/s (Mach 1.2), with the engine running for 18 seconds at a thrust of 1,500 kgf; total flight time was 432 seconds.
- The main objective was to verify continuous telemetry and TASA's own systems; the vehicle splashed down but was not recovered due to waves, which did not affect data transmission.
- Roadmap: STV1 in 2029, STV2 in 2031, first orbital launch in 2034, with the goal of delivering ~200 kg to LEO.

Taiwan's space agency (TASA) carried out the first successful launch of its independently developed sounding rocket, Maraho, on August 22, 2026. The vehicle lifted off at 07:10 local time from the Xuhai research rocket range in Pingtung County, becoming the first carrier created by the agency from scratch following the launch of its orbital-launch development program in 2023. Prior to this, the rocket had carried the provisional designation SR400. According to data published on TASA's official website, the launch proceeded nominally and allowed key onboard systems to be verified under real flight conditions.

### Specifications and Flight Parameters

Maraho is a rocket 7.2 meters long and 0.4 meters in diameter, equipped with a hybrid propulsion system that uses 90-percent hydrogen peroxide and polypropylene as propellants. The engine ran for 18 seconds, providing a thrust of approximately 1,500 kilograms-force at liftoff. Within 49 seconds, the vehicle reached a maximum altitude of 8.1 kilometers, and its peak speed was 408 meters per second, corresponding to Mach 1.2 — meaning the rocket entered supersonic flight. The total flight duration was 432 seconds.

### Main Objective of the Test — Continuous Telemetry

The central mission objective was to verify continuous communication between the rocket and the ground station, with telemetry transmitted throughout the entire flight. In parallel, TASA tested its own developments across several areas: the propulsion system, structure, avionics, communication and tracking systems, ground support, and the vehicle recovery system. The agency stated that the rocket successfully transmitted all required data to the ground before splashdown.

### Splashdown and the Experience of a Young Team

In the final phase of flight, Maraho deployed its two-stage parachute system as planned and splashed down in the sea. Due to high waves and drift, the recovery team was unable to retrieve the vehicle from the water; however, as TASA emphasizes, this did not affect the test results. Agency head Wu Tsung-hsin noted that the mission allowed the young team to go through the full work cycle — from designing, manufacturing, and assembling the rocket to comprehensive testing and the launch itself — and to gain the experience needed to reduce risks in developing larger carriers.

### Roadmap to Orbital Launch

The agency intends to use the relatively inexpensive launches of the Maraho-series vehicles to sequentially validate the technologies required for Taiwan's independent access to orbit. According to the published plan, a first-generation suborbital rocket, STV1, is scheduled for testing in 2029, a more advanced STV2 in 2031, and the first launch of an indigenous orbital carrier is targeted for 2034. The program's stated ultimate goal is to create the capability to independently deliver a payload of approximately 200 kilograms to low Earth orbit.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Taiwan Moves Closer to Becoming a Space Power — First Indigenous Rocket, Maraho, Successfully Tested window-new](https://3dnews.ru/1147304/tayvan-uspeshno-ispital-pervuyu-samostoyatelno-razrabotannuyu-zondiruyushchuyu-raketu-maraho) - Источник ссылается на официальный сайт TASA: дата и время пуска (22.08, 07:10), полигон Сюйхай (Пиндун), параметры (18 с работы двигателя, 1500 кгс, 408 м/с / 1,2 Маха, 8,1 км, 432 с), характеристики ракеты (7,2 м, 0,4 м, гибридный двигатель 90% H2O2 + полипропилен), комментарий У Цзунсиня и дорожная карта (2029/2031/2034, ~200 кг на НОО) полностью соответствуют тексту.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: When and where was the Maraho rocket launched?
**A:** The launch took place on August 22, 2026, at 07:10 local time from the Xuhai research rocket range in Pingtung County (Taiwan).

### Q: What flight parameters did the rocket achieve?
**A:** The engine ran for 18 seconds at a liftoff thrust of 1,500 kgf; the maximum speed was 408 m/s (Mach 1.2), the maximum altitude was 8.1 km at the 49-second mark, and the total flight duration was 432 seconds.

### Q: What equipment does the Maraho rocket have?
**A:** It is a vehicle 7.2 m long and 0.4 m in diameter, with a hybrid propulsion system using 90-percent hydrogen peroxide and polypropylene, as well as a two-stage parachute system for splashdown.

### Q: Was the rocket recovered after splashdown?
**A:** No, due to high waves and drift the recovery team could not retrieve the vehicle from the sea; however, the rocket had already transmitted all required telemetry data to the ground station.

### Q: What are TASA's plans after Maraho?
**A:** The agency plans to test the suborbital rocket STV1 in 2029, STV2 in 2031, and conduct its first orbital launch in 2034, with the ultimate goal of delivering a payload of about 200 kg to low Earth orbit.