The Epsilon 5 rocket on a launch pad.

“Made in Vietnam” NanoDragon satellite is scheduled to be launched into orbit on October 7, announced Assoc. Prof., Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, General Director of the Vietnam National Space Centre (VNSC) under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

The launch is slated to take place from 7:51.21 am to 7:55.16 am (Hanoi time), according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

The solid-fuel Epsilon 5 rocket, expected to carry the NanoDragon satellite and eight others into the outer space, will be launched from JAXA’s Uchinoura Space Centre in the town of Kimotsuki in south-western Kagoshima prefecture of Japan.

JAXA on October 1 morning suspended the launch of the rocket some 19 seconds before the scheduled lift-off time.

According to the agency, a glitch occurred at ground radar equipment that monitors the Epsilon-5's position and speed, located near the rocket's launching pad. It might cause a problem in tracking the rocket, JAXA added.

The NanoDragon, a nano-layer cubesat satellite which weighs 3.8 kilogrammes, was developed by the VNSC.

The satellite was delivered to Japan and tested at the Uchinoura Space Centre in Kagoshima prefecture in August before being officially transferred to the JAXA for launching under the second "Innovative satellite technology demonstration" programme./.

Source: VNA

Launch of NanoDragon satellites suspended due to ground radar issue

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, on October 1 morning suspended the launch of its fifth Epsilon solid-fuel rocket some 19 seconds before the scheduled liftoff time.