The Republic of Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that SpaceX’s Transporter-5 mission launched Armenia's first satellite to orbit on May 25. "Armenia’s first-ever space satellite was launched into the Earth’s orbit on a SpaceX rocket from Cape Canaveral in the United States. Armenia is embarking into the era of space," he said. A flight-proven Falcon 9 rocket lifted off on Wednesday at 2:35 p.m. ET from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex 40. Read more: SpaceX Transporter-5 Rideshare Mission launches 59 spacecraft to orbit, including cremated remains of 47 people
The Transporter-5 mission launched a total of 59 small spacecraft owned by multiple companies and organizations from around the world as part of SpaceX’s SmallSat Rideshare Program which provides cost-effective launches to orbit when customers opt to share a rocket. The payloads were deployed to orbit independently in an organized sequence approximately 1-hour after liftoff.
#Armenia’s first ever space #satellite was launched into the Earth’s orbit on a @SpaceX rocket from #CapeCanaveral in the #UnitedStates. Armenia is embarking into the era of space. pic.twitter.com/wo8DJhQUXo
— Nikol Pashinyan (@NikolPashinyan) May 26, 2022
"In the near future, more specifically in 2022, by the end of 2023, a satellite control center-receiving station will be established in the Republic of Armenia, around which a scientific team of specialists will be formed," said Pashinyan. "One of the main functions of the control center is to control the satellite and receive space photos. It is planned that the receiving station will provide satellite data transmission services also to other satellite operators." Pashinian said the satellite will have multiple uses, including for national security. "The satellite photos will be used in Armenia for border control, emergency prevention and management, environmental protection, including climate change monitoring, urban planning, road construction, geology, and more," he stated in a press release. The satellite launch was the result of cooperation between the Armenian government agency Geocosmos and a Spanish company that manufactured the satellite called Satlantis.
🚀On May 25, 2022, at 22:35, the first #space satellite of the Republic of #Armenia was launched into Earth orbit by a #SpaceX spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, USA pic.twitter.com/QkibRLk0gE
— The Ministry of High-Tech Industry of RA (@Hti_Armenia) May 26, 2022
The Minister of High-Tech Industry Robert Khachatryan and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to the United States of America Lilit Makunts were present at the SpaceX launch site during the Transporter-5 mission. Makunts shared a photograph via Twitter, pictured below. "It was an exciting day in Florida yesterday. We were lucky to witness the historic moment for Armenia when the first Armenian satellite was launched to the Earth’s orbit. May 25, 2022," she said.
It was an exciting day in #Florida yesterday. We were lucky to witness the historic moment for #Armenia when the first Armenian satellite was launched to the Earth’s orbit. May 25, 2022. pic.twitter.com/r46P4KE7He
— Lilit Makunts (@LilitMakunts) May 26, 2022
SpaceX Transporter-5 Rideshare Mission launches 59 spacecraft to orbit, including cremated remains of 47 people
— Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo ♡ (@JaneidyEve) May 26, 2022
by @JaneidyEve via @Tesmanian_comhttps://t.co/zQ8WBUQCgo
Featured Image Source: ESA
About the Author
Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo
Evelyn J. Arevalo joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover news as a Space Journalist and SpaceX Starbase Texas Correspondent. Evelyn is specialized in rocketry and space exploration. The main topics she covers are SpaceX and NASA.
