ID :
254335
Sat, 09/08/2012 - 04:29
Auther :

Malaysia Eyes Nanosatellite Launch

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is eyeing to launch its own compact space satellite designed and built by National University of Malaysia's (UKM) Institute of Space Science (Angkasa) to monitor the ionosphere. Angkasa director Professor Dr Mohd Alauddin Mohd Ali said the launch of the nanosatellite would be a cost-effective way to gain data about the Earth. "The new satellite is designed to monitor changes in the ionosphere caused by solar flares. Many countries are concerned that the sun is setting off flares more often, which can cause havoc with communication equipment and computers on Earth," he said in a statement issued by the university. Mohd Alauddin said UKM had invested about RM150,000 (US$48,231.51) from a government grant in the device and its launch. It is part of a United Nations (UN) consortium led by a Spanish research team which is encouraging nations to join by sharing data through a network of Earth satellites around the globe. The statement said that in this way, developing nations would be able to afford launching data-sensing devices at reasonable cost and be able to receive information from other participants. The date and launch site had yet to be finalised, it said, adding that several countries like China and the United States were willing to propel the nanosatellite by docking to a bigger satellite, possibly from a third nation. Nanosatellite or nanosat is an artificial satellite with a mass of between one to 10kg. It usually requires innovative propulsion, attitude control, communication and computation systems. -- BERNAMA

X