Checking the wind direction before launching the NanoDragon satellite at the Uchinoura Space Centre in Japan's Kagoshima prefecture, Japan. (Photo: VNA) NanoDragon was the lastsatellite launched into outer space by Epsilon-5, which also carried eight other small satellites of Japan.At 11:30 am, NanoDragon flew over Vietnam’s space for the firsttime.
Previously, at 9:55 am (local time), Epsilon-5 was successfully launched into outer space from theUchinoura Space Centre in Japan's Kagoshima prefecture.
According to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the satellites launched into outerspace this time are part of JAXA's second "Innovative satellite technologydemonstration" programme.
NanoDragon, a nano-layer cubesat satellitewhich weighs around four kilogrammes, was developed by the Vietnam NationalSpace Centre (VNSC) under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. Thedevelopment of the NanoDragon satellite is part of VNSC's"made in Vietnam" small satellite development roadmap.
It was delivered to Japan on August 11 and tested at the Uchinoura Space Centrefrom August 16-17 before being officially transferred to the JAXA for launching.
The VNSC also successfully developed the 1-kg-microsatellite PicoDragon, andthe 50-kg satellite MicroDragon, which were launched into orbit in 2013 and2019, respectively./.
VNA
