The nanosatellite “TUMnanoSAT” built by the Technical University of Moldova (UTM) was launched into space, being transported by a Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX company to the International Space Station, IPN reports, with reference to www.utm.md.
The launch of “TUMnanoSAT” is the first spatial experience for the Republic of Moldova under JAXA-UNOOSA international cooperation. “Our international partners JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency of Japan) and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) will launch the satellite onto its final orbit so as to help Moldova researchers to further their research into space exploration,” noted NASA.
The nanosatellite, called TUMnanoSat, was created by a group of students and professors from the Center for Space Technologies at the Technical University. It has the shape of a cube, with a side of 10 centimeters and weighs just over a kilogram. The satellite is equipped with a camera that will take the images from space and send them to the UTM command center.
The nanosatellite was made for three years. It happened after the researchers from TUM won a project coordinated by the National Space Development Agency of Japan. The Japanese researchers were also the ones who directed the project to create the satellite, later. It was tested in Romania.
