Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) made history as the first public university to build and launch its maiden nano-satellite, UiTMSAT-1, into outer space yesterday.

The nano-satellite was sent to the International Space Station (ISS) via the cargo rocket Space X Falcon 9 that was launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 5.47pm local time.

The cube-shaped nano-satellite measuring 10cm was built by two UiTM students Syazana Basyirah Mohamad Zaki and Muhammad Hasif Azami, who are currently studying in Japan, following a collaborative effort with the Kyushu Institute of Technology (KyuTech) under the ‘Joint Global Multi-Nation’ programme.

The launching of UiTMSAT-1 that was screened via an ISS live feed on YouTube was witnessed by UiTM vice-chancellor Prof Emeritus Hassan Said, the director of its Centre for Satellite Communication Prof Ir TS Mohamad Huzaimy Jusoh as well as the lecturers and students in an event held here.

Hassan said the nano-satellite would be temporarily kept at ISS and was expected to be released to its orbit, about 400,000 km from earth, in August.

Meanwhile, Mohamad Huzaimy explained that the nano-satellite had six missions, including to capture images, test the satellite location correlation and the Global Positioning System chip, measure the magnetic field in outer space to obtain data on geomagnetic mapping in Southeast Asia and for radio communication.

- Bernama