Singapore launches its first nano-satellite

Singapore launched its first nano- satellite VELOX-I via a Indian space rocket on

Monday, according to a report by Channel NewsAsia on Thursday.
The satellite, which weighs just 4.28 kilograms, is equipped with a camera sensor

that is radiation-resistant, and extendable lenses to take higher-resolution

photographs from space. Its inventors are students and researchers from Nanyang

Technological University's Satellite Research Centre.
"We actually put in a lot of new components and new sensors. These, if proven, can

eventually be used for other satellites, big satellites for commercial application,"

Low Kay Soon, director of the centre said.
He added, "we hope that this will actually benefit Singapore's space industry in the

long term."
One highlight is that VELOX-I carries another smaller satellite, named VELOX-PIII,

which will separate from it in the next three months. With the two, the university

has launched four satellites in total. It hopes to give students more experiences

and nurture a pool of talent for the satellite industry.
"As an engineer myself, I believe that building a satellite is something very very

challenging," said NTU student Lau Zi Rui. "So if we are able to build a satellite, as

my Professor always says, we can actually build many other stuff."
The university is now building Singapore's first weather satellite, which is funded

by the Economic Development Board for tropical climate studies. And according to

"Lianhe Zaobao", the university plans to launch another three satellites by the end

of 2015, which will bring the total number of the university's satellites to seven.