By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
Ugandan satellite the “Pearl Africa Sat-1” has been deorbited barely one year after its launch.
The revelation was made by the minister of science innovations and technology, Dr. Monica Musenero Musanza on December 28.
“The satellite could not do communication, satellite TV and internet. It only took pictures which we could use for geographical maps,” Dr. Musenero said.
Uganda Pearl AfricaSat-1 was launched into space on Monday 7 November 2022 at 5:27 am East African time alongside Zimbabwe’s ZimSat-1, according to America’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
It was developed by a team of Ugandan graduate engineers including Edgar Mujuni, Bonny Omara, and Derrick Tebusweke with assistance from Birds Satellite project under Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan.
This was after President Museveni directed for the development of a National Space Agency and Institute.
Speaking a day before the launch of the satellite, Dr. Musenero said the Pearl AfricaSat-1 would help provide research and observation data in six primary areas; including weather forecast; land, water, and mineral mapping; agriculture monitoring; infrastructure planning; border security, and disaster prevention.
The satellite was also developed to address climate change challenges, such as through provision of accurate data.
“The statistical data collected could help distinguish bare ground from forests and farmland and possibly indicate the quality of agricultural growth. This could help improve the livelihood of citizens of Ugandan,” said Dr. Musenero.
Unfortunately, the satellite has only spent 13 months in orbits has been deorbited from space over shortage of funding.
It should be recalled that minister Musenero recently told parliament that the ministry was in need of Shs5 billions to pilot the satellite data, set up equipment, build research laboratory, and establish a command center at Mpoma satellite station in Mukono district among others. It is not clear whether the satellite will be readded to the space or not.
