Romania to launch it’s first satellite into orbit

Romania is entering the space era, 30 years after it’s peak and with baby steps but it’s a start. The first romanian satellite is a “nanosatellite” and weighs about 1.5 kilograms and has a cubic form with a 10 cm edge as Marius Piso, head of the Romanian Space Agency, announced today for the local newspaper Gandul. The satellite wil hover on an orbit situated at an altitude of 700 km.

The satellite was built entirely by Romanian specialists and students for the Romanian Space Agency and the total cost of the equipment in the satellite is about 150 000 euros.

The main purposes of the device will be in research (micrometeorites detection and measurement of ionic radiations) but it will also help military communications. The Romanian Ministry of Defence was involved in the project especially for this.

The satellite is ready and will be launched in October 2007 or in the beginning of 2008 with a space shuttle from the European Space Agency, which Romania is a part of. Power will be provided by solar batteries and the autonomy will be between 3 and 5 years.

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