Africa’s triumph in space as Ghana’s first satellite, launched in June, is now fully operational. The CubeSat miniaturized satellite, dubbed Ghana-Sat 1, was built by at All Nations University College (ANUC), with support from the Japanese Birds program.
The small satellite was delivered via SpaceX rocket to NASA’s International Space Station in June, and was released into the cosmos on July 7. Its mission includes monitoring environmental activity along Ghana’s coast as well as serving as an educational tool.
“We want to use it to integrate satellite technology into High School Curriculum,” says Project Manager Richard Damoah, a Ghanaian Professor and Assistant Research Scientist at NASA.
Ghana-Sat 1 will transmit a signal to a ground station at ANUC’s Space Systems and Technology Laboratory—where the satellite was initially developed by engineers Benjamin Bonsu, Ernest Teye Matey, and Joseph Quansah.
While the satellite did not receive official Ghanaian Government support, President Nana Akufo-Addo lauded the local scientists’ efforts and achievements. The 2.2-pound Ghana-Sat 1, which generates power from solar cells and built-in batteries, does more than survey: low- and high-resolution cameras allow it to snap photos of the country’s coastline. It also broadcasts Ghana’s national anthem and takes song requests for play in space.
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