The Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT) has been selected as a joint winner of the 8th round of the KiboCUBE programme, a collaboration between the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). It is a significant milestone as DIT strives to become a Regional Flagship TVET institute in Information and Communication Technology.
In a press statement issued by the UNOOSA, the global body notes that DIT, along with the Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët Boigny (INP-HB) in Côte d’Ivoire, will deploy their own CubeSat from the International Space Station (ISS). According to the press release, it is the first time Tanzania will deploy a satellite, further broadening the reach of space technology to emerging nations. The KiboCUBE programme has already been enabled in Kenya, Guatemala, Mauritius, Moldova, and Indonesia.
The DIT Team is expected to use CubeSat to track GPS boundary beacons in game reserves and gather environmental data through sensors. This is expected to contribute to biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation efforts
Deployment of a CubeSat from the ISS. Photo: NASA/JAXA
Prof. Preksedis M. Ndomba, Rector, DIT, said: “DIT is honoured to be the awardee of the 8th round of KiboCUBE, as a result of stewardship of the Government of United Republic of Tanzania, in space technology advancement in Tanzania. We gratefully extend heartfelt gratitude to UNOOSA, JAXA and partners for exceptional support accorded to us and endorsing our mission of using space technology to benefit various sectors across Africa.”
DIT foray into space technology will not only benefit Tanzania, but also the East African region as a whole, with attendant benefits expected to extend to Regional Flagship TVET Institutes (RFTI) supported by the East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP).
The CubeSat project is expected to serve as a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration with other East African nations. The East African region stands to benefitfrom the potential of using space technology to address critical regional challenges including environmental monitoring and biodiversity conservation. The project further cements DIT’s position as a regional leader in ICT and aligns with the institute’s strategic vision to become a leading TVET institute in Technology.
By DIT Communications Team