Prototype of Singaporean satellite being tested at Chonburi centre
GISTDA official expects Thailand to get more international acceptance
A prototype of Singapore’s Extremely Low Earth Imaging Technology Explorer (ELITE) satellite is being tested at the Satellite Assembly Integration and Testing Centre at the Si Racha district in Chonburi province, which is seen as a stamp of approval for Thailand’s potential in the space industry.
The test is being conducted by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) and Nanyang Technological University’s Satellite Research Centre (NTU Singapore).
“The satellite will orbit closest to Earth at 250 kilometres above the mean sea level,” the GISTDA’s National Satellite Manufacturing Centre director, Pornthep Navakitkanok, said on Sunday.
He said it was the biggest satellite to be tested in Thailand ever. It weighs 180 kilograms and has a height of 1.3 metres, a width of 0.73 metres, and a length of 0.74 metres, and the satellite’s width would be 4.2 metres when it expands its solar panels.
Pornthep said the GISTDA is providing thermal vacuum, vibration and mass properties testing for two months to ensure the prototype satellite’s efficiency before sending its flight model into space.
“It is the first time that the centre has conducted tests on a satellite from a foreign company,” he said. He added that this would gain the centre international acceptance, and enable Thai personnel to boost their potential in the space industry.
This will lead to the development of space innovation and technology in Thailand, which would help foster the country’s space economy and promote international collaborations, he added.
Pornthep said NTU Singapore plans to bring the flight model of ELITE to be tested by the GISTDA next year.
The foreign company’s move to send its satellite for testing in Thailand proved that they had confidence in the country’s space industry potential, he said. He expects more foreign companies to send their satellites to Thailand.
