Tuesday, August 06, 2024

SPACE

Serbia prepares to send its first satellite into space 

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By Tatyana Kekic in Belgrade August 6, 2024

Serbia is set to send its first satellite into orbit, joining the ranks of 106 countries with space programmes, according to a report from the Serbian daily Politika on August 5.

The satellite, named "Mosaic", represents a significant milestone for Serbia's burgeoning space ambitions, marking the country’s entry into the global space community.

Mosaic is scheduled for launch between late 2025 and early 2026 and is expected to remain in orbit for two to three years.

The mission will focus on observing the Sun in the X-ray domain, a task that is impossible from Earth due to the protective properties of the planet's atmosphere.

Dr. Milan Stojanovic, project manager and scientific associate at the Astronomical Observatory in Belgrade, outlined the additional capabilities of Mosaic in an interview with Politika.

“There will also be a small camera on the satellite that will record Serbia from afar,” said Stojanovic. “Although there are higher resolution images from Google or some other satellites, they are not always available to us. This way, we will receive images of our country once a day.”

According to Stojanovic, another goal of the mission is to develop expertise in the complete process of satellite technology, from component procurement to the launch itself. He said that this experience would lay the groundwork for future, larger-scale projects.

The "Mosaic" satellite belongs to the class of small satellites known as "CubeSats", measuring 10x10x10 centimetres. These nanosatellites are composed of three cubes that can be combined into a single unit.

Serbia’s Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation is the primary financial supporter of the project, with additional backing coming from Serbian experts abroad.


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