Challenge-1 Explained

Challenge-1
Mission Type:Communications
Operator:TelNet
Manufacturer:TelNet
Launch Date:22 March 2021
Launch Rocket:Soyuz-2
Launch Site:Baikonur, Kazakhstan
Orbit Reference:Low Earth orbit
Apsis:gee
Next Mission:Challenge-2

Challenge-1 or Challenge One (TelNet Challenge One)[1] is the first domestically made satellite from Tunisia. It was launched on 22 March 2021 by Russia on a Soyuz 2 rocket from Baikonur in Kazakhstan. The satellite was built by a team of telecommunications engineers from TelNet, as an Internet of Things satellite.[2] [3] This marked Tunisia as the 6th African country[2] and the 1st country in the Maghreb to manufacture its own satellite.[4] The satellite is to be the first of a constellation of 30 satellites.[5] The satellite was first announced in September 2019 for a July 2020 launch.[6]

Mission

The satellite specializes in Internet of Things technology, and it is the first one that uses LoRaWAN protocol for communications. This protocol makes it easier to be individually programmed, controlled, or reset, in space, from Telnet labs.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: TELnET Challenge One mission control centre . Webdo.tn . March 2021 .
  2. News: Tunisia reaches for stars with satellite launch . AFP . 22 March 2021 . Kuwait Times .
  3. News: Tunisia launches first satellite, "Challenge 1" . North Africa Post . 22 March 2021 .
  4. Web site: AfricaNews . 2021-03-22 . Out of this world: Tunisia launches its first satellite . AFP . 2021-03-23 . en .
  5. News: Lancement, samedi, 20 mars, de " Challenge 1 ", premier satellite 100% tunisien . L'Economiste Maghrébin . 19 March 2021 . fr . TAP .
  6. News: Le satellite tunisien " Challenge 1 " lancé en juillet 2020 . 26 September 2019 . Webdo . webdo.tn . fr .
  7. News: Challenge One: Tunisia's first homebuilt satellite . 2020-05-13 . Africanews .