The Kenya Space Agency has announced a 24-hour delay in the launch of the Taifa 1 satellite.
Through a press statement, the agency highlighted unfavourable upper-level wind conditions as the main reason why the launch date has been shifted.
“This is to inform the Kenyan public that Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) has announced a 24-hour delay for the launch of Falcon 9 Transporter 7 mission earlier scheduled for Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at 9:44 am Kenyan time,” the statement read.
The agency announced that the delay not only affected Kenya’s satellite but also a host of other countries that are part of the same Transporter 7 Rideshare mission.
“The launch is now expected to take place on Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 9:44 am Kenyan time,” the statement read.
In an earlier interview, Acting director of Kenya Space Agency Hillary Kipkosgey said data gathered from space will be used to make different observations from land cover.
Earth Observation Satellite is a camera that looks at the earth and takes images of the Earth's surface and from that, you are able to make various interpretations of what is happening on Earth.
Kipkosgey said it will be the first of a series of satellites they intend to work on in the coming years and added that they will be able to characterise land use depending on what feature is covering the surface.
"We will be able to characterise features that are under maize different from land that is under wheat," he said.
Kipkosgey said the Earth observation Satellite will also be used for security purposes because it tracks, monitors, and respond to situations.
"Depending on the finest resolution, you can actually track the movement of people, if you have a situation like we have in some parts of our country and you are interested in knowing where the trouble makers are it is possible with some kind of Earth Observation Satellites to track, monitor and respond to situations," he said.
He said unlike the satellite launched in 2018, the one set to be launched will have more capabilities.
Defence Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru said the satellite will cost Kenya Sh50 million.
