The mission objective of ROCSAT-1 (Republic of China Satellite 1) is to develop, launch, and operate a low earth orbit satellite, and to conduct three scientific and technology experiments in the areas of ocean color imaging, space telecommunication, and solar-terrestrial physics.

The ROCSAT-1 spacecraft was developed jointly by TRW with a jointed team of TRW and NSPO engineers. ROCSAT-1 is a three-axis stabilized satellite. It weights 402 kg and is hexahedron in shape with the width of 1.1 m and the height of 2.1m. The satellite orbits the earth in a circular orbit at altitude of 600 km and an inclination of 35 degrees.

The three on-board payload instruments are the Ocean Color Imager (OCI) the Experimental Communication Payload (ECP), and the Ionospheric Plasma and Electrodynamics Instrument (IPEI). The payload data and the spacecraft data are transmitted together in S-band link to the ground stations.