Kenya's first satellite to be placed in orbit on Friday

World
Europe

Kenya will embark on its maiden space odyssey with the deployment of its first satellite in space on Friday.

The small cube satellite (CubeSat) named 1st Kenya University Nano Satellite Precursor Flight (1KUNS-PF) – built by the University of Nairobi team – will be deployed into space from the Japan Space Agency (JAXA) Tsukuba Space Centre in Tokyo.

The satellite is the first outer space object registered by Kenya and the first Kenyan satellite that will go into space orbit. “It is with great humility that the University of Nairobi announces to the public that we have ventured into space science,” said Peter Mbithi, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Nairobi.

“Rapid development of technology has enabled miniature, low-cost Nano Satellites to perform commercial space missions that previously required large satellites and large infrastructure budgets.”

The satellite’s payload consists of two commercial cameras and experimental web audio upload and broadcast – capable of limited earth observation and audio transmission. The successful deployment will help Kenya in mapping, earth observation, land use and environmental monitoring.

The satellite images will also help in weather forecasting, food security mapping and forecasting, communication, disaster management, coastline and border control. The country will also use the satellite for forest management, livestock and wildlife monitoring.

In 2012, JAXA and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) collaborated to help developing countries to initiate space programs. Kenya won a UNOOSA international competitive grant in 2016 leading to the development of 1KUNS-PF.

“Small satellites can be manufactured at low cost and by utilizing relatively simple technology; therefore that can be useful for education, communication, disaster mitigation, and human resource development,” JAXA maintained in a press statement.

“With the agreement for collaboration this time, we can provide an opportunity for using space and verifying technology there to countries that do not possess the capacity to launch satellites,” JAXA added.

The University of Nairobi completed the satellite in April this year and transported it to the US for launch. CubeSat was launched last month from an international launch center in Florida.

“The successful deployment of the satellite will herald the next phase for Kenyan scientists and Engineers to develop bigger high-resolution satellites,” Mwangi Mbuthia, the Principal Investigator of the University of Nairobi maintained.

Only a handful of African countries have launched their satellite. Apart from Kenya; South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, and Ghana have successfully placed their satellite in orbit.

[Top Image: An artists rendition of Montana State University's Explorer-1 [Prime] CubeSat. /Montana State University Photo]