Serbia is set to send its first satellite into orbit and join 106 countries with space programmes, Serbian media reported.
A space satellite with the working name Mozaik is to be the first scientific apparatus Serbia plans to put into earth orbit, Milan Stojanovic, a researcher at the Belgrade Astronomical Observatory, said.
The satellite will study the sun’s radiation in the X-ray range. In addition, Mozaic will be equipped with a special camera, with the help of which it will be possible to observe the territory of Serbia from space.
The parallel goal of the mission is to study and master technologies from the procurement of satellite components to the launch of the vehicle into space. At the moment, it is not known which of the space powers’ launch vehicles the Serbian specialists plan to use to put Mozaic into the earth’s orbit.
According to Stojanovic, another goal of the mission is to gain experience in the entire process of creating satellite technologies, from the purchase of components to the launch itself. This experience will lay the groundwork for future, larger-scale projects, he said.
The Mozaic satellite belongs to a class of small satellites known as CubeSats, measuring 10x10x10 centimetres. These nanosatellites consist of three cubes that can be combined into a single vehicle.
The Serbian Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation is the main financial sponsor of the project, with additional support provided by Serbian experts abroad.
