The Colombian Air Force celebrates the second anniversary of the country's satellite that has been in orbit since November 28, 2018. This is the FACSAT-1 launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in India, aboard the PSLV C-43 rocket.
For the men and women of the Centro de Tecnologías Aeroespaciales (Center for Aerospace Technologies) - CITAE of the Air Force, it is a source of pride to commemorate the process to put the satellite in orbit, with which a technology transfer, knowledge and generation of doctrine program has been carried out, where officers, noncommissioned officers and cadets have actively participated. In the same way, this platform with optical resources has allowed the use of images to improve artificial intelligence projects, learning in the control and monitoring of the system itself and has facilitated the development of new projects, such as the temporary implementation of satellite communications from Antarctica. This is how the Colombian Air Force mission is increasingly focused on space and cyberspace technology.
The FACSAT-1 is in optimal condition. The supply of its electrical power is 81 percent of operation, which will extend its service a little more than it was initially projected. In its two years in orbit, the satellite has made 11,069 turns to Earth; has taken more than 1,294 photographs to different parts of the Earth; and from its control center, has been able to download about 47 high resolution photographs of the Colombian territory.
The experience that the members of the Center for Research in Aerospace Technologies have had with their project, the FACSAT-1, has allowed them to begin the structuring and integration of a new satellite: the FACSAT-2.
“Thus one goes to stars”
Source: press-Colombian Air Force
