Some of the Kenyan engineers who worked on the Taifa-1 satellite. From left: Pattern Odhiambo, the communication subsystem lead; Major Hope Deche, the ground receiver segment lead; and Captain Aloyce Were, the structural and mechanism lead. On the table is the model of Taifa-1 satellite, Kenya's first operational Earth observation satellite.
Kenyans will today witness the launch of Taifa-1 satellite from a large screen set up at the University of Nairobi as Falcon-9 rocket lifts off from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA, from around 9am.
The rocket is scheduled to transport several satellites including Taifa-1 into orbit, detach and return to the ground all in a span of 8.5 minutes, an experience that will be transmitted live from SpaceX’s Mission Control Centre.
