How the Bangabandhu Satellite took flight
May 4 is set to be a historic day for Bangladesh as it prepares to launch its first satellite into orbit from the SpaceX launch station in Florida.
The satellite will be borne by a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket and the launch will be streamed live on the SpaceX website. The time for the launch will be finalised later.
"This is the same launch station from where a Korean satellite was launched on Oct 30. That satellite was tagged KT. Our satellite will say BB on the side and bear a government logo," project director Md Mezbahuzzaman told bdnews24.com on Sunday.
The satellite was originally scheduled for launched on Dec 16 but the devastation from Hurrican Irma last year delayed all the scheduled launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The BB satellite has 40 transponders. Bangladesh will use 20 of them, saving the national exchequer around $14 million a year. The 20 others will be rented out.
The project director said a person had to be within three or four kilometres from the launch pad to see the take-off with their own eyes. It will remain visible for around 7 minutes, he added.
"The 7-metric tonne satellite will travel up to 36,000 km from the launch pad before making adjustments for orbit," Mezbahuzzaman said. "Preparations for the launch have already begun."
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