Science News: Ghana, Mongolia, and Bangladesh join the space age

– G.A., Senior Editor

As we previously noted, there is strong political will to involve developing countries in space research. In July 2017, the nations of Ghana, Mongolia, and Bangladesh successfully launched their countries’ first satellites into low earth orbit. Each satellite is a small device known as a CubeSat, which allows researchers to place powerful scientific tools into Earth’s orbit at a low cost.

With the assistance of the Kyushu Institute of Technology, scientists in these three countries built satellites that were launched into orbit from Japan’s Kibo module of the International Space Station. These small, but powerful, satellites will allow scientists on Earth to conduct important research in areas ranging from the measurement of cosmic radiation to coastline mapping. Naturally, the satellites have been designed and built with the aim of conducting research that will benefit their home countries. However, as is the case with any scientific endeavor, the data and findings of the scientists in Ghana, Mongolia, and Bangladesh could be of benefit to scientists around the world.

As the cost of delivering a payload into orbit continues to fall and the components that go into the assembly of a satellite continue to shrink in size and price, there is no better time for countries seeking to begin space research to start. Given Japan’s continuing success in space research, it is no surprise that collaborations between Japanese institutions and overseas researchers have produced successful results. If Japan can continue to support developing countries achieve their dreams of participating in space research, the world may come to benefit from the cutting-edge space research conducted by an unexpected country.

Click here for the Japanese version.