On the 65th anniversary of its independence, Tunisia will launch the first Tunisian satellite to space. Talent Group announced the successful completion of all the functional tests and launch tests for the satellite "Challenge-One".
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Talent Group said on Wednesday that it is now in the process of delivering the satellite to the Russian company GK Launch Services, responsible for the launch. The Russian company will still have to carry out its own launch tests, including a virtual launch process, testing the ability of the satellite to be launched into space safely, and its ability to take its orbit around the globe.
GK Launch Services has informed the Tunisian side last September that the launch of the "Challenge-One" satellite and a number of satellites for other companies and countries, which were planned for 15 November 2020, has been rescheduled to 20 March 2021 due to the global pandemic. This new date will coincide with the 65th anniversary of the independence of Tunisia.
In April 2019, TELNET Group and GK Launch Services signed a contract to launch the first Tunisian satellite, "Challenge-One", aboard the Russian Soyuz-2.1a rocket with the Fregat upper stage in 2020. The signing ceremony was held at the Sfax Digital Research Center under the chairmanship of TELNET Group General Director Mohamed Frich and General Director of JSC Glavkosmos Launch Services Alexander Serkin.
Challenge ONE is a research and innovation project that offers a new approach to information technology and its practical application. The results of Challenge ONE will be used to create a constellation of 30 satellites.
A year after the first announcement of its satellite project, TELNET presented the achievements of its developers as part of the first open display of the "Challenge-One" spacecraft in the laboratory.
In 2018 and 2019, TALENT Group signed several cooperation and partnership agreements with the Russian State Space Agency Roscosmos and GK Launch Services, as part of the Group's new strategy to invest in space technologies after the success the company has achieved over a period of 26 years in the field of technology, software, electronic systems and mechanical engineering.
