The National University of Engineering said Tuesday Peru’s first nanosatellite will be ready for launch in July. The head of the project, Aurelio Padilla, told Radio Programas Peru the Chasqui I nanosatellite is 60 percent complete and will measure 10 centimeters and weight one kilogram when finished.
The nanosatellite will be used to take pictures for climate, forestry and archaeological studies. Padilla said it could also be used by researchers at the Lima-based Japan Peru Center for Earthquake Engineering and Disaster Mitigation, or Cismid. The center provides academic training in the areas of earthquake engineering, geotechnical engineering, planning and disaster mitigation.
Padilla said the nanosatellite will be launched from Russia with logistical support from the Kursk State Technical University. “We are advancing and doing everything we need to,” said Padilla. “Kursk University has been very interested in our project and we have communicated constantly with them to discuss the advances in the nanosatellite.”
“The development of the Chasqui I project has required many specialties,” Padilla added. “We have had active participation from professors, researchers and students from our university.”
Padilla said the nanosatellite will go through a resistance test at the University of Arkansas before it is launched in Russia. The test will include launching it 30,000 meters and testing its response to extreme temperatures and measuring its electrical system, voltage, reception and other physical parameters.
