South Africa’s most advanced nanosatellite to date, ZACube-2, has been launched into space today with the Russian Soyuz Kanopus mission from Siberia, Russia.

The ZACube-2 was launched together with small satellites from the United States, Japan, Spain, and Germany and will be orbited as secondary payload in a launch mission designed for real-time monitoring of natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies.

ZACUBE-2, described as the most advanced on the continent, will provide cutting-edge remote sensing and communication services to South Africa and the region.

Weighing just 4kg, the ZACube-2 is South Africa’s second nanosatellite to be launched into space and three times the size of its predecessor, TshepisoSat.

The project is funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), The DST’s entity, the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), in cooperation with the University of Montpellier, the French Embassy and the Paris Chamber of Commerce, manages the project.

-State Media