Viet Nam’s NanoDragon satellite successfully separated from Japan’s fifth Epsilon solid-fuel rocket at 11:07 am (Japan time), flying in outer space by itself.

Checking the wind direction before launching the NanoDragon satellite at the Uchinoura Space Centre in Japan's Kagoshima prefecture, Japan. (Photo: VNA)

NanoDragon was the last satellite launched into outer space by Epsilon-5, which also carried eight other small satellites of Japan. At 11:30 am, NanoDragon flew over Viet Nam’s space for the first time.

Previously, at 9:55 am (local time), Epsilon-5 was successfully launched into outer space from the Uchinoura Space Centre in Japan's Kagoshima prefecture.

According to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the satellites launched into outer space this time are part of JAXA's second "Innovative satellite technology demonstration" programme.

NanoDragon, a nano-layer cubesat satellite which weighs around four kilogrammes, was developed by the Viet Nam National Space Centre (VNSC) under the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology. The development of the NanoDragon satellite is part of VNSC's "made in Viet Nam" small satellite development roadmap.

It was delivered to Japan on August 11 and tested at the Uchinoura Space Centre from August 16-17 before being officially transferred to the JAXA for launching.

The VNSC also successfully developed the 1-kg-microsatellite PicoDragon, and the 50-kg satellite MicroDragon, which were launched into orbit in 2013 and 2019, respectively.

Source: VNA