First Moldovan satellite successfully placed into orbit

Chisinau, August 12 /MOLDPRES/- The nanosatellite TUMnanoSAT, built by the Technical University of Moldova was successfully launched into orbit today by astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS). The event, organized in a hybrid format, was attended by Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița, rector of UTM Viorel Bostan, diplomats, representatives of the Japanese Aerospace Agency (JAXA) and the United Nations Office for Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the government's communication and protocol department has reported.

In her speech, after the successful completion of the operation, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița congratulated the UTM team for the work done and noted that today's event, a historic one, will bring a series of benefits, both to the scientific field and to citizens.

"I am proud of your achievement and the effort you have put in over the last 14 years to reach this moment, when a dream has become a reality. The exploration of outer space brings countless benefits to people, the economy, science, but also to state institutions. We are talking with representatives of international companies about the possibility of using satellite data to assess the fruits or consequences of natural calamities. This will make the Government's policies much more precise and will benefit the economy," the Prime Minister said.

Also, the official addressed the children, present in the hall, and urged them to follow their dreams and to have faith in the educational institutions of the Republic of Moldova.

"I hope that you, children, have convinced yourself today that interesting things are being done in the schools and universities of the Republic of Moldova and you can even reach the orbit of the planet Earth. Despite all the difficulties, we will continue to invest in education and science. We must have strong universities, connected to European research programs, so that we can continue to carry out such projects", said Natalia Gavrilița.

Viorel Bostan thanked the team of specialists, who worked on the design, testing and launch of the satellite within the international Project KiboCUBE, carried out with the support of the Japanese Aerospace Agency. Also, Moldovan engineers received assistance and expertise from colleagues in Romania, Bulgaria and other EU states.

"14 years ago, the idea of ​​launching a satellite program appeared, so that we can explore outer space, but also attract as many young people as possible in the field of engineering technologies. We made two attempts to apply to the "KiboCube" Program, from the third we succeeded. Now, we can say with certainty that the Republic of Moldova knows how to build satellites", said Viorel Bostan.

Present at the event, Ambassador of Japan to Chisinau reconfirmed the support of the Japanese state for the innovation and research projects of the Republic of Moldova.

"I would like to congratulate you on your success and I would like to express my special respect for the work done by a talented team that brought a beautiful result. Today, Moldova launched not only a satellite, but also a hope for the future. I am sure that this step will be followed by other projects with the support of the Japanese state", said Ambassador Katayama Yoshihiro.

The TUMnanoSAT satellite, built by the Technical University of Moldova, was launched into space on July 15, being transported to the International Space Station by a rocket of the SpaceX Company. The expenses were covered through the KiboCUBE International Program, won by UTM.

Photo: Government