Algeria launches scientific satellites

The Algerian Space Agency (ASA) announced on Monday that it has launched three satellites for scientific purposes from India’s Sriharikota Space Centre, Anadolu news agency has reported.

In a statement, the ASA explained that the three satellites were amongst a total of eight sent into orbit. They have been named as Alsat-1B, Alsat-2B and Alsat-1N and are part of a national space programme worth $1.5 billion adopted by the government in 2006.

“Alsat-1B is the second Algerian medium-resolution earth observation satellite launched by Algeria after Alsat-1,” said the ASA. “It is part of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation.” Alsat 2b, meanwhile, will contribute to the management of disasters under the International Charter for Space and Major Disasters.

According to the agency, Alsat-1N is a miniaturised satellite with scientific mission and technology demonstration developed within the framework of the cooperation agreement signed with the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) by a team of Algerian and British researchers.

Algeria launched its first satellite (Alsat-1) in 2002 from Russia and it has been producing its own small satellites since 2010.