Nanosatellite TUMnanoSAT built by UTM launched into orbit

Chisinau, August 12 /MOLDPRES/- Technical University of Moldova (UTM) today launched the TUMnanoSAT nanosatellite into orbit. Connection with international partners – Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), under whose auspices the satellite was launched into orbit by astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS), as well as the live broadcast of the launch, was carried out by the coordinators from JAXA.

Being a first for the Republic of Moldova, as well as a resonant spatial experience for the international community, the event brought together the country's leadership, representatives of the scientific community and the academic environment at Tekwill. Also, the agenda of the event included speeches from representatives of JAXA and UTM, directly involved in the elaboration, development and launch into orbit of the first satellite of the Republic of Moldova.

In June -August 2021, the TUMnanoSAT satellite, built by the Technical University of Moldova, passed all functional tests at the Romanian Institute of Space Sciences, according to JAXA and NASA rigors. Later, in March, it was transported to Japan, at JAXA, where it was included in the JSSOD launch capsule. In April, it was transported to NASA and included in Cargo Dragon-2. And on July 15, 2022, the satellite was launched into space, being transported to the International Space Station by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.

That activity is carried out within an international program. The Technical University of Moldova was selected by the Japan Aerospace Agency and the United Nations Space Office for the KiboCUBE Program, in order to launch the TUMnanoSAT nanosatellite from the International Space Station into orbit for free.

Photo: stiri.md