Ghana to observe a satellite launch in the U.S

Accra, June 24, GNA - A sophisticated satellite that would provide vital data on the weather, solar and space operations and further improve weather predictions would be launched in Florida, US, aboard a Boeing Delta Aircraft later this month by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). An observatory has therefore been mounted in Ghana and other parts of the world to observe the satellite. The observation will help scientists in the country and other parts of the world to know if something goes wrong, as anything that goes wrong during the take-off could affect human lives.

At a press briefing in Accra on Friday, Mr Kwaku Boadu, Chief Executive Officer of Arrow Network System, an ICT company assisting with the project, said the satellite would help meteorologists sense severe storm all over the world and equip them for emergency management. He said other gains to Ghana included the training and exposure of Ghanaian technicians to such a sophisticated project. "The choice of Ghana is a big boost to the country's ICT agenda," Mr Boadu said.

Mr Gary Eigner, Telemetry Manager of OTB in South Africa, partners of NASA, said Ghana would host an array of sophisticated equipment, which would play a crucial role during the satellite launch. "The equipment in Ghana would receive data of critical events of the Boeing Delta during the second booster stage before entering geo-stationary orbit 35,800 kilometres above the earth." Mr Eigner said they chose Ghana because it offered a unique location and had the required ICT infrastructure, management consultants and qualified local technicians to assist the project as well as favourable environment.

Mr Steve Kayi, Director of Amalgamated Investments Limited, a local management consultant of the project, commended the Ministry of Communications, the Meteorological Services Department among other organizations for their support for the project. "Their responsive support confirmed to the project partners that the choice of Ghana for the project was right."