Satellite
Kenya is scheduled to launch its first locally produced satellite into space on Friday.
The nano satellite precursor flight (1KUNS-PF) would be the first outer space object registered by Kenya, the University of Nairobi, whose team developed the satellite, said in a statement.
“The team is hoping to make history,’’ the university’s Vice Chancellor Peter Mbithi said.
The satellite, which is only 10 centimetres high and able to provide limited earth observation and audio broadcast, would be launched by the Japan Space Agency in Tokyo at 1000 GMT.
If the launch is successful, the scientists of the university plan to develop bigger, high-resolution satellites “with serious scientific and technological value for the country,’’ according to the statement.
Commercial satellites have a considerable economic potential for Kenya, including earth mapping, land use, weather forecasting, food security mapping, disaster management, coastline and border monitoring, forest management and wildlife monitoring.
The nano satellite precursor flight (1KUNS-PF) would be the first outer space object registered by Kenya, the University of Nairobi, whose team developed the satellite, said in a statement.
“The team is hoping to make history,’’ the university’s Vice Chancellor Peter Mbithi said.
The satellite, which is only 10 centimetres high and able to provide limited earth observation and audio broadcast, would be launched by the Japan Space Agency in Tokyo at 1000 GMT.
If the launch is successful, the scientists of the university plan to develop bigger, high-resolution satellites “with serious scientific and technological value for the country,’’ according to the statement.
Commercial satellites have a considerable economic potential for Kenya, including earth mapping, land use, weather forecasting, food security mapping, disaster management, coastline and border monitoring, forest management and wildlife monitoring.