The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has scheduled the launch of Mexican nanosatellite AztechSat-1 for next October.
The nanosatellite will be launched from the Wallops Flight Facility in the state of Virginia.
After passing all NASA tests in Mexico, the satellite, developed by students and professors from the Popular Autonomous University of the State of Puebla (UPAEP) arrived at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley , California to undergo the final phase of testing.
Andrés Martínez, an advanced exploration systems executive at the U.S. agency told a press conference that the AztechSat 1 satellite, which spans 10 cubic centimeters, had now entered a final stretch and was likely to become the first satellite of Mexican design to be launched into space in modern times. “The project aims to establish a link between nanosatellites and commercial satellites,” he stated.
The expert explained that AztechSat-1 would constitute a historic accomplishment since it was developed by Mexican students. Moreover, though the satellite is small in size, it could detonate Mexico’s aerospace industry. The project was financed by the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) and the Mexican Space Agency (AEM) .
The satellite was included in the Northrop Grumman 12 launch manifest (NG-12) and will be launched in a rocket called “Antares II” to the International Space Station (EEI).
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