First Jordanian-made satellite’s launch postponed

AMMAN — SpaceX Company, which is specialised in launching satellites, on Monday announced it had postponed the launching of a number of satellites, including the first Jordanian-made satellite dubbed JY1-SAT, which was scheduled to be launched on Monday.

The company said that the delay was due to some technicalities that needed more testing time to ensure a successful launch, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Crown Prince Foundation (CPF), which is behind the Masar Initiative under which the nano-satellite was built, said in a statement, carried by Petra, that it will announce the date of the new launch as soon as SpaceX confirms it, noting that it “looks forward to launching the Jordanian mini-satellite, designed and installed by Jordanian youth”.

The JY1-SAT was designed and built by 19 young engineering students from various Jordanian universities and a committee of academics and advisers, under the supervision of the CPF. 

The satellite is planned to air the voice of HRH Crown Prince Hussein with a message of peace, which will be available for reception via ground receivers around the world.

The first Jordanian NASA interns’ research in nano-satellite technology inspired them to establish the CubeSat programme and its design of JY1-SAT — Jordan’s first satellite — in memory of His Majesty the late King Hussein.

The CPF’s Masar Initiative aims to “inspire and address youth’s passion for innovation in space technology”, according to its website.

SpaceX was founded in 2002 to revolutionise space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets, according to its website.