SpaceX successfully launched Taifa-1, Kenya’s first EO 3U nanosatellite, on Saturday, April 15.
The Transporter-7 mission to low-Earth orbit was launched by Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Space X attempted to launch the satellite three times but failed due to bad weather.
The launch was originally scheduled for Tuesday, April 11, but was moved to Wednesday, April 12, and the two days after that.
Directors streaming live from SpaceX confirmed that the weather was favorable and the rockets were ready for launch.
The Transporter 7 mission is a dedicated rideshare flight with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites to a sun-synchronous orbit. It was launched aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which also carried other small satellites from around the world.
Elon Musk’s Space X operates the Transporter 7 mission, which is dedicated to ridesharing flights to sun-synchronous orbit.
A sun-synchronous orbit consists of dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites that are used by countries such as Kenya to collect useful data.
The satellite is the first of what is intended to be a constellation of small earth observation satellites, with subsequent systems expected to be of higher capacity.
It is an observation satellite with subsequent systems that will provide real-time observation over Kenyan territory.
