The highly anticipated launch of the Taifa-1 Sat, a satellite developed by Kenyan scientists, has been delayed once again.
This is the second time the launch is being postponed after similar statements were issued yesterday, the official day of the launch.
The acting director of Space Regulation Exploration and Utilization at Kenya Space Agency Lt Col Andrew Nyawade announced Wednesday morning the launch had been pushed to April 14.
“We have received communication that the launch of the first operational satellite in Kenya will be delayed till 14th April 2023 due to strong winds in the upper atmosphere,” he said.
This will be the second time the launch is being delayed due to bad weather.
The satellite named Nation-1, or Taifa-1 in Swahili, was to be deployed aboard a Falcon 9 rocket alongside other satellites from other countries on Tuesday.
A statement from the Kenya Space Agency had Tuesday said the delay was due to unfavourable upper-level wind conditions” that would affect the rocket’s flight trajectory.
The launch, according to the statement on Tuesday said it was expected to take place on Wednesday, April 12 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, but that has been pushed further by two days.
The main mission of the satellite will be to provide data for use in agriculture, food security, land management, and environmental monitoring.
