The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) will be launching two mini-rockets in August from its Malindi Space Center in conjunction with the University of Rome.
The rockets are set to be launched by the use of high-altitude balloons which is an improvement from larger rockets that were launched during the 1980s and 1990s.
This news came to the limelight on 25th February in a forum dubbed ‘The space sector we want in Kenya’ during a high-level engagement that aimed at opening the space sector.
The forum was attended by Defense Cabinet Secretary Monicah Juma, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority Director-General Gilbert Kibe, KSA chairman Major-General (Rtd) James Arwasa amongst other interested stakeholders.
While speaking, Mr. Arwasa noted that using high-altitude balloons to launch satellites and mini-rockets is efficient in that it lowers the cost of sending rockets into space.
“Satellites and rockets have become smaller because of advances in technology. We’ve students who are already working on building and launching the two at the Malindi Space Centre. We’re working with the University of Rome.” He said.
In the meantime, the launch was to happen earlier but the same was pushed to August after seven Roman professors who were part and parcel of the initiative tested positive for the Coronavirus.
“We were expecting nine professors from the University of Rome to join us to witness these students launching the mini-rockets, but unfortunately seven tested positive for Covid-19.” Posed Mr Arwasa.
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