Malaysia's first micro-satellite

Malaysia's first micro-satellite

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): A small Malaysian observation satellite has
been launched from a Russian cosmodrome in Kazakstan, one month
after technical problems kept it from heading into space, the
national Bernama news agency reported Wednesday.

A Russian launch vehicle from Baikonur cosmodrome successfully
put Malaysia's first micro-satellite, Tiungsat-1, into low orbit
Tuesday, said the head of the project, Ahmad Sabirin Arshad.

The 50-kilogram Tiungsat-1 started transmitting its first
signals to a ground station at the Malaysian National University
near Kuala Lumpur seven hours after the launch, Ahmad was quoted
as saying.

The satellite was lifted into space with two Italian
satellites and two satellites belonging to the Saudi Arabian
Space Research Institute.