Asunción, Agencia IP.- Paraguay is working to make history with the launch of the GuaraniSat2, the second Paraguayan satellite in orbit and the first one designed and built in the country.

This second launch, which will take place in the upcoming years, represents an important step for Paraguayan space technology development and opens up the possibility of environmental monitoring, agriculture, and communication.

The GuaraniSat2 is a nanosatellite of the CubeSat type, which means it has a reduced size and is easy to build and launch.

The first Paraguayan satellite was developed by Paraguayan engineers, with the Japanese Government’s support in the framework of the “Paraguay al Espacio” project, an initiative of the Paraguayan Government to support space technological development in the country.

One of the main objectives of the first Paraguayan mission to space was the detection of Triatoma infestans, commonly called “vinchuca” or “kissing bug,” the vector bug of Chaga’s disease.

The satellite was equipped with a sensor that allowed the identification of the presence of Triatoma infestans in rural areas, which facilitated the implementation of control measures and prevention of the disease.

“With the collaboration of scientists and academic biologists, we developed a triatoma infestans sensor, which attracted to these insects that are carriers of the disease. The device allowed the detection of the reinfestation very fast and gave information in real-time, facilitating the intervention of the authorities in charge of the fumigation at the indigenous communities affected at the Paraguayan Chaco,” claimed Adolfo Jara, Ph.D. and General Director of Planification and Management of the AEP in Tribuna, a TV program broadcasted by Paraguay TV.

He mentioned that the main objective was to speed up the detection process since this procedure could last up to three months. “The implementation of this technology has as a purpose to improve the efficacy of prevention and control measures against the Chagas disease in indigenous communities,” he highlighted.

Specialists from JICA will arrive in our country to support AEP.

The GuaraniSat2 will have its application in agriculture and communications. The satellite can be used to monitor the state of crops and predict agricultural yields. In that sense, the President of the Paraguayan Space Agency (AEP, by its acronym in Spanish), General Div (R) Osvaldo Almirón Riveros, announced that on November 20, a contingent of experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will arrive in the country.

“They come with a two-year project, through which they will explore our needs regarding the space industry and identify how they can help us with training, increasing the capabilities of our young people, scientific experts, among other things.”

This project with Japan’s Government through JICA will be the second one worldwide and the first in America.

“The first country with which this project was developed was Rwanda, and the first country in Latin America was Paraguay. This demonstrates the level of confidence that the Government of Japan has towards Paraguay, thanks to the work of Paraguayan engineers and students who demonstrated their enthusiasm and seriousness in Japan with GuaraniSat1,” Riveros highlighted.

Paraguay, seen with good eyes

The general director of Planning and Management of the AEP highlighted that although Paraguay is developing in everything related to space sciences, spaces are currently occupied internationally.

“We are participating in the main forums and conferences, occupying presidencies of committees related to space issues, also in the United Nations offices for outer space affairs. “We are actively participating and winning international competitions, receiving awards,” he assured.

La entrada Paraguay is preparing to launch the GuaraniSat2, the first satellite designed and constructed in the country se publicó primero en .::Agencia IP::..