The Kenyan Space Agency has deployed its first Earth Observation Satellite , Taifa 1 . flee on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket , the satellite enter solar synchronous ambit – so it passes over every part of the Earth at the same local mean solar meter .
This orbit is used for imagery and reconnaissance satellites because the light of each part ofthe Earthas the satellite elapse above it is roughly the same . In fact , Taifa 1 will collect farming and environmental data . The goal is to have space observations that can better prepare and inform people about drought , floods , and wildfire . The information will be share freely among government agencies and used for disaster management and for fortify food security .
“ Taifa-1 planet is full have by Kenya and will be mesh by Kenyans . The data will also be get and processed in Kenya , ” the Kenyan Space Agency wrote in apress command .
The satellite is a CubeSat made of three unit , with a camera that can keep both in the visible spectrum and slimly beyond . It will operate on for five year and then fall into the atm and burn completely without fall to Earth . It was design by nine Kenyan engineers and built in collaboration with the Bulgarian aerospace company Endurosat .
The Kenyan Space Agency choose to establish it on a SpaceX Rocket to improve its affordability , establish that the price is portion out among the satellite owners . There were 50 other payload in this launching .
With the success of Taifa 1 , the Space Agency of this important African state is considering recreate launch capabilities from its own territory . This would n’t be the first time : the San Marco chopine is a presently unused platform that was developed by the Italian Space Agency – the rockets design to launch from there no longer subsist , but it is in an idealistic position for launches , being Orient - veneer and near the equator .
It is currently incertain if the Kenyan Space Agency need to resuscitate this one or make its own . What is certain is that Kenya has big ambition when it comes to blank space and its part in it .
