Kenya will launch Taifa-1, its first operational satellite in the United States, into space on April 10, in collaboration with the American company SpaceX, according to a joint press release from the Kenyan Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Defense. Kenyan space agency, published this Monday, April 3.
The document informs that this satellite « will provide precise and regular satellite data » which will be exploited in various fields, in particular those of agriculture and food security, the management of natural resources and disasters, as well as the monitoring of the environment.
Designed and developed by a team of Kenyan researchers, Taifa-1 will be launched from the US base in Vandenberg, California, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The Kenyan authorities see this initiative as « an important milestone for Kenya’s space program », according to the press release. It “is expected to contribute significantly to spurring the growth of satellite development, data analysis and processing, and application development capabilities of Kenya’s nascent space economy”.
Kenyan engineers had already made a first satellite, presented as a “nano-satellite”. The manufacture of the device had been financially supported by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency. This satellite was to be used for the supervision of agricultural activities and border surveillance of Kenya.
By OMA Newsletter N° 1116 of 04/04/2023
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
