Four space telescopes are expected to arrive in Venezuela as part of the agreements tuat made with the People’s Republic of China, the president of the Astronomy Research Center “Francisco J. Duarte” (CIDA), Pedro Grima, said Friday.
During the program “In the Air” that was broadcast on Friday by Venezuelan Television (VTV) from the National Astronomical Observatory of Llano del Hato, in the state of Mérida, he said that the telescopes will allow more efficient monitoring of space debris.
Grima said that debris in space interrupts visibility and when the Venezuelan territory launches its own satellites, the images they wish to see become blurry, it is important that the path to space is clear.
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Venezuela currently has 3 satellites in orbit thanks to the agreement signed by President Hugo Chavez with the People’s Republic of China. This country was the only one that agreed to transfer technology to Venezuela in opposition to the “black box” approach proposed by Russia, France and UK.
The first satellite was launched in October 2008 and is called Simón Bolívar or Venesat. The second satellite, put into orbit in 2012, was the Miranda, also known as VRSS-1. The last satellite is named Antonio José de Sucre, also called VRSS-2 and was launched in October 2017.
“A satellite costs about 400 million dollars and meeting with an object [of debris] mid-flight can destroy the investment. The monitoring of all space debris is carried out through the observatories of the world, one of them being ours in Mérida,” he said.
The purpose of CIDA is to carry out, promote and disseminate research in the field of astronomy, in addition to promoting the teaching of the area in the various educational centers of the country.
It also seeks to stimulate the technical and scientific exchange between similar national or foreign institutions, and contribute to the professional development of the country’s astronomers.
Source URL: YVKE Mundial with OT content
Translated by JRE/EF
