TECH - iPhone Supplier Foxconn Takes A Cosmic Leap Diversifies Into Space With Prototype Satellites | Benzinga
Taiwanese electronics powerhouse Foxconn, known officially as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (OTCPK: HNHPF), has reportedly launched two prototype low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites into space. Foxconn, a major supplier for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), is primarily known for being the world’s largest producer of iPhones.
What Happened: Foxconn launched the satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in southern California using a SpaceX rocket, Bloomberg reported. The move comes as part of an initiative to diversify its operations and cater to the growing demand for space-based communication services, especially as its core businesses such as smartphones and laptops face multiple challenges.
The two satellites, dubbed PEARL-1H and PEARL-1C, were co-developed with Taiwan's National Central University. These compact, backpack-sized satellites carry cameras, communication devices, and other equipment, and are set to orbit Earth every 96 minutes at an altitude of 520 kilometers, the report said.
Unlike Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies Corp., which has launched ...