Morocco has launched two nanosatellites whose data will be made available to the country’s universities.
They were launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, USA.
The two university satellites, UM5-EOSat and UM5-Ribat, were launched on August 16, 2024. This is the result of a collaboration between the Mohammed V University of Rabat, the National Centre for Technical and Scientific Research (CNRST) and the Royal Centre for Research and Space Studies, according to a statement from the Mohammed V University of Rabat.
This synergy aims to train a new generation of Moroccan university researchers and engineers in the field of space technologies, according to the statement.
Each of the two satellites has a mass of less than 4 kg and a volume of 300 x 100 x 100 mm, according to the press release, which adds that UM5-EOSat is equipped with a camera for earth observation missions, while UM5-Ribat is equipped with a software-defined radio (SDR).
The latter, according to the statement, will carry out telecommunications missions, including tracking aircraft (ADS-B) and ships (AIS), as well as collecting data from ground terminals (IoT).
Its in-orbit reprogrammable design illustrates the expertise developed at Mohammed V University, allowing the satellite’s functionalities to be adjusted or modified in flight as required.
“Researchers at Mohammed V University’s University Center for Space Technology Research (CURTS), located at the Mohammadia School of Engineering, have been leading this project with passion and rigor for more than three years,” the statement noted, adding that CURTS is now responsible for operating the two nanosatellites, with ground stations dedicated to monitoring and controlling them.
Over the next two months, these researchers will carry out the LEOP tests and validate the performance of the satellites, thus reinforcing the university’s expertise in space technology.
MN/sf/te/lb/as/APA