吳宗信 (Jong-Shinn Wu)

Abstract:

吳宗信博士現任國家太空中心(TASA, Taiwan Space Agency)主任,並為國立陽明交通大學教授。1994 年取得美國密西根大學航太工程博士學位。除了具有產學研獨特經驗以外,因長期致力於推動台灣火箭科技發展,素有「火箭阿伯」之稱。自 2021 年 8 月接任太空中心至今接近五年, 已執行獵風者衛星(2023)與福八衛星(2025)成功發射入軌服務。在兩任總統支持之下, TASA 規模由原僅 260 人研究中心擴展至超過 600 人的行政法人,年度預算增加 2-3 倍, 目前正積極執行第三期國家長期太空計畫(2019-2031),同時確認兩大願景: 增進國家安全與建立太空產業。其中包括多項重要太空計畫,包括建立福八光學遙測衛星星系、福九合成孔徑雷達衛星星系、B5G 實驗型低軌通訊衛星星群、衛星載具、雷射光通訊技術,以及各種衛星資料應用發展與商業化等等。

吳博士專長於太空系統工程、火箭推進、電漿模擬及高效能科學計算,並為陽明交通大學「前瞻火箭研究中心」(ARRC)創辦人。在 GPU 平行模擬、稀薄氣體動力學,電漿醫學以及混合式與自燃液態火箭推進技術等領域具有開創性貢獻。截至目前,已發表國際期刊論文超過 160 篇, H-index 為 38, 累計引用逾 4,600 次。

曾榮獲多項重要學術榮譽,包括日本 ISPlasma 特別表彰獎(2023)、科技部傑出研究獎(2018)及未來科技獎(2017、2021)。現為國際太空科學院(IAA)通訊院士、美國機械工程師學會(ASME)會士、美國航太學會(AIAA)副會士,以及 IEEE 資深會員。並擔任期刊 Aerospace 編輯委員、ASME Journal of Aerospace and Space Engineering 副主編(invited), 以及AIAA Journal 編輯顧問委員。

此外,吳博士於1990至 1995 年美國攻讀博士與博士後期間, 除了積極組織密西根大學台灣同學會(MTSA)以外,並參與「北美洲台灣學生」(TaiwaneseCollegian)擔任外交委員會負責人,回台前同時擔任季刊編輯委員,以積極行動宣傳台灣意識,不遺於力。回台期間,於1996 至 1999 年間推動「 5% 台譯計畫」, 與一群有志同齊, 運用每人5%的時間與薪水, 以唐吉軻德精神, 不畏艱難, 以台語文與客語文翻譯外國文學與神話故事, 並出版 14 本譯作。另於2014 年於 TEDx Taipei 論壇領先以台語發表20分鐘台灣火箭科技發展之專題演講。Mayday五月天並以他為原型改編,於2016年發表「頑固」一曲, 至今點閱數超過2300萬次; 另大支/ Dwagie於2021年以台語RAP風式發表【火箭阿伯/Uncle Rocket】一曲推崇他對台灣本土火箭發展的堅持。2018年以《ARRC自製火箭:夢想與熱血當燃料,一起離開地球吧!》(作者:劉珈均、魏世昕、ARRC前瞻火箭研究中心 )獲得「第九屆吳大猷青少年科普著作特別推薦獎」。於2016年創辦 TiSpace 太空科技公司, 擔任總經理兼CEO, 致力開發入軌火箭, 於2018年歸建交通大學。

Dr. Jong-Shinn Wu is the Director General of the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) and a Professor at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. He received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1994. In addition to his unique experience spanning academia, industry, and government research, Dr. Wu has long been dedicated to advancing Taiwan’s rocket technology development, earning him the nickname "Uncle Rocket" in Taiwan. Since assuming leadership of TASA in August 2021, he has overseen the successful launches and operational deployment of the Triton satellite (2023) and the FORMOSAT-8 satellite (2025). With the support of two consecutive presidents and his leadership, the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) has expanded from a research center of only 260 personnel into an administrative implementation and R&D organization (行政法人) with more than 600 employees, while its annual budget has increased by approximately two- to three fold. TASA is currently carrying out Taiwan’s Third National Long-Term Space Program while pursuing two major strategic visions: enhancing national security and building a sustainable space industry ecosystem. Key initiatives include: Development of Formosa 8 optical remote sensing satellite constellations, Formosa 9 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite constellations, B5G Experimental low Earth orbit (LEO) communications satellite networks, Satellite launch vehicle development, Laser optical communication technologies, Satellite data applications and commercialization programs, among others.

Dr. Wu’s expertise spans space systems engineering, rocket propulsion, plasma modeling, and high-performance scientific computing. He is the founder of the Advanced Rocket Research Center (ARRC) at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, and has made pioneering contributions in GPU-based parallel simulations, rarefied gas dynamics, plasma medicine as well as hybrid and hypergolic liquid rocket propulsion technologies. To date, Dr. Wu has published more than 160 journal papers, with an H-index of 38 and over 4,600 citations.

He has received numerous prestigious honors, including the ISPlasma Special Recognition Award (2023), Taiwan's Outstanding Research Award (2018), and the Future Technology Award (2017, 2021). He is a Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), a Fellow of ASME, an Associate Fellow of AIAA, and a Senior Member of IEEE. He also serves on the Editorial Board of Aerospace, as an invited Associate Editor of the ASME Journal of Aerospace and Space Engineering, and as a member of the Advisory Editorial Board of the prestigious AIAA Journal.

Furthermore, during his doctoral studies in the United States from 1991 to 1995, Dr. Wu actively organized the Michigan Taiwanese Student Association (MTSA). He also participated in the "Taiwanese Collegian" (TC), serving as the head of the diplomatic committee and as a quarterly editorial board member before returning to Taiwan, sparing no effort in promoting Taiwanese consciousness through active advocacy.

Upon returning to Taiwan, between 1996 and 1999, he led the "5% Translation Project" (5% 台譯計畫) alongside a group of like-minded peers. With a Quixotic spirit, they dedicated 5% of their time and salary to the arduous task of translating foreign literature and mythological stories into Taiwanese and Hakka, publishing 14 works in total. Additionally, in 2014, he took the lead at the TEDx Taipei forum by delivering a 20-minute keynote speech on the development of Taiwan's rocket technology in Taiwanese. The band Mayday used him as the prototype for their 2016 song "Tough" (頑固), which has garnered over 23 million views to date. Furthermore, in 2021, the famous singer Dwagie released the Taiwanese rap song "Uncle Rocket" (火箭阿伯) in his honor. In 2018, the book "ARRC Home-made Rockets: Fueling Dreams and Passion to Leave the Earth Together!" (authored by Liu Chia-chun, Wei Shih-hsin, and the Advanced Rocket Research Center) won the Special Recommendation Award for Youth Science Popularization at the 9th Wu Ta-You Science Copywriting Awards. In 2016, he co-founded the TiSpace company in Taiwan, which focused on the development of satellite launch vehicle, and returned to NCTU in 2018.