Kenya is set to make history on Friday when its first locally made satellite will be launched into space.
If successful, Kenya will become the first Sub-Saharan African nation to launch the special type of the satellite into space.
The 10-by-10 by 10 cube satellite dubbed Nano-satellite was developed by students and researchers from the University of Nairobi in collaboration with Japanese Space Agency (JAXA). The device was handed over to the JAXA Tsukuba Space Center four months ago to prepare for its deployment.
UoN director of corporate affairs John Orindi said a team led by Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed will witness the launching in Japan.
“The deployment ceremony will be done from Kibo Space Centre on May 11, 2018 at about 1pm Kenyan time. The Cabinet Secretary, Ambassador Amina Mohamed, will lead a powerful delegation comprising of government officials and university researchers to witness the event live,” he said.
The satellite was developed under the KiboCube programme run by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and JAXA.
When launched, the equipment will help in weather forecasting, environmental and animal observation as well as assisting the multimedia sector in the country.
It weighs about 1.2kgs and will be about 4,000kms from earth. It was assembled at a cost of about Sh100 million and has an estimated lifespan of between 12 and 18 months.
