All Nations University to launch miniature satellite
The Intelligent Space Systems Laboratory (ISSL) of the All
Nations University College (ANUC) in Koforidua will launch its first space
miniature satellite, known as Deployable CanSat in May this year.
Advertisement
The device, which was designed and built by students and researchers from the university, has built-in sensors, cameras, battery, global positioning system (GPs) and transceivers that are housed in a 350 ml can.
By analysing the data recorded by the CanSat, the students and researchers of the university will notice its successes and investigate the reasons for its success or failure.
It will be launched into the sky on a rocket and using a parachute, it will slowly descend to the ground after performing its designated mission, including taking pictures and transmitting telemetry.
The Director of the ISSL of ANUC, Mr Manfred Quarshie, who announced the initiative at the opening of the second space Science and Satellite technology workshop organised by the university at Koforidua, said “the launch is aimed at providing us a unique opportunity to acquire more basic knowledge of space satellite engineering”.
The two-day event, on the theme “Space and satellite technology: its relevance to Ghana’s socio-economic development”, attracted international space and satellite experts from Ghana, Japan, Canada and United States of America.
They included Prof M. Miyazaki, an Aerospace Engineer from the Nihon University, Japan; Prof William Edmonson, a research fellow from NASA and Langley National Institute of Aerospace NCA and T State University, USA and Dr Danielle Wood, a research fellow from NASA and a System Engineer from Space Department of the John Hopkins University of Applied Physics Laboratory as well as Dr Kofi Ashilevi, Director of the Ghana Space Centre.
Speaking on the topic “Space Science and Satellite education for Ghana’s socio-economic development: ANUC’s perspective”, Mr Quarshie stated that the university’s Space Science Project was aimed at giving the students practical training in the development of education in Satellite operation.
“Our activities will allow us to establish international collaboration network of contact in the international space education and also participate in international competition”, he stated.
“It is our desire to accomplish a process that will advance knowledge in space engineering and attract and empower students in a rewarding and inspiring environment that fosters creation and innovation”, he stated.
According to him, the ISSL currently has 10 students and two lecturers who are working hard to make the outfit productive to impact knowledge on students.
The President of ANUC, Dr Samuel H. Donkor, stated that the current global economy and security were increasingly reliant on space science technology.
“Satellites have improved security, telephone and internet services, navigation and broadcasting, weather forecasting, medical services, humanitarian aid and many more”, he stated.
“We acknowledge the numerous scientific accomplishments due to satellite technology use, which have brought major scientific breakthroughs particularly in climate observation and earth resource monitoring.”
“I am therefore, optimistic that this workshop would help us to benefit from the wealth of knowledge from the scholars and professionals about space and satellite technology to the socio-economic development of Ghana and Africa”, he added.
For his part, Dr Ashileve commended the university for its Space Science and Technology initiative, which he stated would help Ghanaians to embrace space science and technology and its benefit to the economy.
“We are faced with a myriad of challenges of smuggling of natural resources, health, sanitation and environmental problems and with the use of satellite technology, we should be able to protect our resources, predict and monitor natural disasters to mitigate their impact”, he stated.
Story by Nana Konadu Agyeman
