When a SpaceX rocket carrying a satellite powered by a homegrown spherical motor blasted into orbit in early 2022, it was not merely a small step for commercial spaceflight — it was a giant leap for Yen Po-hsun, then a 24-year-old founder of a Taiwanese aerospace startup.
2022年初，一枚搭載由台灣自製球形馬達驅動衛星的SpaceX火箭衝向軌道，這不僅是商業太空飛行的一小步，更是時年24歲的台灣航太新創公司創辦人顏伯勳邁出的一大步。
The motor aboard that rocket was no ordinary machine. It was a product of Yen’s near-decadelong pursuit of a dream that began at age 16, sparked by the science fiction film “I, Robot.” Mesmerized by the film’s futuristic car with wheels that rotated 360 degrees, Yen set out to create a spherical motor of his own — a feat that had never been successfully commercialized.
那枚火箭上的馬達並非普通機械，而是顏伯勳近10年追夢的成果。這段旅程始於他16歲時，靈感來自科幻電影《機械公敵》。片中那輛能360度旋轉車輪的未來感汽車深深吸引了他，讓他決心打造屬於自己的球形馬達─先前這項技術從未被成功商業化。
Six years after its founding by Yen in 2019, Tensor Tech is the only company in the world producing spherical motors for commercial use. Yen’s motors – compact, efficient, and capable of controlling a satellite’s movement in all directions – are now regular passengers on SpaceX launches.
自其2019年創立以來，張量科技如今已是全球唯一一家生產商用球形馬達的公司。顏伯勳所研發的馬達體積小、效率高，能全方位控制衛星的運動，如今已成為SpaceX火箭的常客。
From sci-fi spark to aerospace breakthrough
從科幻啟發到航太突破
Raised in Chiayi, southern Taiwan, Yen was known for his hands-on curiosity and passion for invention. He participated in science fairs and tinkered with machines, but it was that sci-fi movie that changed everything.
在嘉義長大的顏伯勳，以動手實驗的好奇心與對發明的熱愛而聞名。他曾參加科學展覽，也愛鼓搗機械，但說到改變一切的，仍是《機械公敵》。
“Engineers love challenges. I saw that wheel and thought, why not try building it?” Yen recalled. “I didn’t expect I’d still be working on the same idea nearly nine years later.”
「工程師都愛挑戰。我看到那個輪子時，就想為什麼不試著做一個？」顏伯勳回憶道，「我沒想到，將近九年後我還在做同一個構想。」
By h ig h school, he ha d al rea dy beg u n prototyping his own version of a spherical motor. He entered a lab at National Cheng Kung University through a Ministry of Education science talent program, where he was first introduced to traditional single-axis motors used in satellites. The limitations of those systems – bulky, powerhungry, and expensive — drove him to pursue a simpler, more versatile alternative.
到了高中，他已經開始製作屬於自己的球形馬 達原型。他透過教育部「青少年科學人才培育計 畫」進入成功大學實驗室，首次接觸用於衛星的傳統單軸馬達。這些系統體積龐大、耗電且昂貴，促 使他尋找更簡單、更靈活的替代方案。
Yen enrolled in National Taiwan University’s electrical engineering program but dropped out to focus full-time on his startup. It was a decision that came with anxiety and uncertainty.
顏伯勳曾就讀臺灣大學電機系，但後來休學， 全心投入新創公司。這個決定伴隨著焦慮與不確定感。
“I wasn’t sure I could make it,” he said. “I believed finishing school would help me, but so would starting a company. There’s only so much time, and I had to choose.”
「我不確定自己能不能成功，」他說，「我相信完成學業會幫助我，創業也會。但時間有限，我必須做出選擇。」
That choice would soon pay off. Tensor Tech developed a spherical motor light enough to save satellite operators millions in launch costs – one motor can replace three conventional ones, cutting both weight and power consumption. Each kilogram removed from a satellite saves roughly NT$1 million (US$33,410) in launch fees.
這個選擇很快見效。張量科技研發出一款足夠輕的球形馬達，能為衛星營運商節省數百萬元的發射成本─一個馬達可取代三個傳統馬達，同時減輕重量並降低耗能。衛星每減重一公斤，發射費用便可節省約新台幣100萬元（約3.34萬美元）。
Finding a foothold
立足全球太空經濟
Yen’s innovation gave Tensor Tech a competitive edge in an industry long dominated by European and American giants. Traditionally, spherical motors were confined to academic research due to their complexity and bulk. Yen’s design broke through those barriers, making the technology viable for real-world space missions.
顏伯勳的創新，讓張量科技在長期由歐美巨頭主導的產業中取得競爭優勢。傳統上，球形馬達因為結構複雜、體積龐大，只局限於學術研究。顏的設計突破了這些障礙，讓這項技術真正能用於實際的太空任務。
In January 2022, a Tensor Tech motor launched aboard a SpaceX rocket and operated successfully in orbit for nearly a year. “That launch was a turning point,” Yen said. “Once you’ve flown something in space, it opens doors.”
2022年1月，一枚搭載張量科技馬達的SpaceX火箭升空，並在軌道上成功運作近一年。顏伯勳說：「那次發射是個轉捩點。只要你在太空中成功運行過某個東西，很多大門就會打開。」
Today, Tensor Tech’s clients span Europe, the U.S., Japan, South Korea and India. While the company initially targeted Western markets, Asian clients soon followed, drawn by Tensor’s responsiveness and proximity.
如今，張量科技的客戶遍及歐洲、美國、日本、韓國與印度。雖然公司起初鎖定的是西方市場，但亞洲客戶因為看中張量科技的反應速度與地理上的近距優勢，因而迅速跟隨。
As business grew, Tensor Tech pivoted from selling components to offering full motion control systems. The decision addressed a critical barrier: spherical motors already require complex software to operate, and asking clients to develop their own would be a tough sell.
隨著業務成長，張量科技從單純銷售零件轉向提供完整的運動控制系統。這個轉變解決了一個關鍵障礙：球形馬達需要複雜軟體來運行，而要求客戶自行開發一直是個棘手的銷售難題。
Providing the whole solution raised the value of the company’s product and made adoption easier, Yen said.
他表示，提供完整解決方案不僅提高了產品的價值，也讓客戶更容易採用。
Tensor’s smallest spherical motor is about the size of a tennis ball and weighs around 200 to 300 grams – ideal for micro-satellites. But the company is now developing larger, more powerful versions to serve the growing market of heavier satellites, which can weigh up to 500 kilograms.
張量科技最小的球形馬達大約網球大小，重量約200至300克，非常適合微型衛星。但公司目前也在開發更大、更強力的版本，以滿足重量可達500公斤的大型衛星市場需求。
“In space, there’s no gravity to help you change direction,” Yen said. “Everything relies on internal motors. The bigger the motor, the more complex the engineering – but that’s what we’re focused on now.”
「在太空中，沒有重力幫助你轉向」，顏伯勳說，「一切都仰賴內部馬達。馬達越大，工程就越複雜─但這正是我們現在的重點」。
Eyes on the future
放眼未來
SpaceX launches rockets almost every quarter – and Tensor Tech’s motors are now regulars on board. The company reached break-even this year and plans to reinvest profits into R&D, particularly in next-generation systems tailored for high-power communication satellites.
SpaceX幾乎每季都會發射火箭，而張量科技的馬達如今已成為固定搭載品。公司今年達到損益兩平，並計劃將利潤再投入研發，尤其是針對高功率通訊衛星的下一代系統。
Yen attributes his company’s success not to deep pockets but to its technological edge. “We’re not about scale. Our strength is innovation,” he said.
顏伯勳認為，公司成功並非因為資金雄厚，而是技術領先。「我們不是拚規模，我們的強項是創新」。
As the global space race accelerates and Taiwan begins carving out a foothold in the supply chain, Yen hopes Tensor Tech will continue to lead in its niche.
隨著全球太空競賽加速、台灣開始在供應鏈中站穩腳步，顏伯勳希望張量科技能持續在其利基市場保持領先。
“Our goal is to stay ahead technically,” he said.
「我們的目標是持續在技術上領先。」
字詞解釋
compact（形容詞）→小巧緊密的。例句：The innovator has built a fame for his compact but versatile gadgets. 這位發明家以小巧但多用途 的裝置聞名。
tinker with（片語）→玩弄，擺弄。例句：Tom is a curious boy, always tinkering with whatever objects come into his hands. 湯姆是一個好奇心 旺盛的男孩，總愛把玩手上的東西。
versatile（形容詞）→多用途的；多才多藝 的。例句：Compared to decades ago, people nowadays need to be much more versatile to earn opportunities. 與數十年前相比，現今人們需要 具備更多元的技能才能爭取到機會。
axis（名詞）→軸；軸線。例句：You cannot spin a basketball on your fingertip without first locating its axis. 要用指尖轉籃球，你必須先找 到它的旋轉軸。
proximity（名詞）→鄰近地區。例句：Many people are reluctant to dwell in the proximity of a nuclear plant. 許多人都不願意住在核電廠 附近。
tailor（動詞）→量身打造。例句：The store is known for its tailoring service. 這家店以提供量 身訂做服務聞名。
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