Chile will launch a new satellite into orbit, the FASat-Deltawhich is intended to capture terrestrial images and will be launched via a Elon Musk’s SpaceX corporate rocket.

“The immediate need (for the satellite) is linked to defense, but a satellite image provides a lot of information that can be useful in different areas,” such as “monitoring areas affected by a natural disaster,” Daniel Moraga explained to AFP. , commander of the Special Operations Group of the Chilean Air Force (FACh).

The satellite, owned by the FACh and the Israeli company ImageSat International (ISI), It will be launched into orbit on Monday the 12th by the Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, developed and operated by SpaceX.

The ship, owned by the company that also owns the social network Twitter, It will carry more satellites and along the way it will leave each of these devices in the requested orbit. It will take off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States.

He FASat-Delta, which is part of the Chilean national satellite system, can capture grayscale images, color images, and 90-second videos. It has a weight of 90 kg, in the range of small satellites, and must operate in low orbit, at an altitude of 550 km.

Chile has already launched three satellites into space: the first (FASat-Alfa, 1995) was unsuccessful and the second (FASat-Bravo, 1998) was experimental. The third, FASat-Charlie also focused on image capture, was launched into orbit in December 2011 and is still operating.

The Chilean Air Force plans to launch nine satellites into orbit over the next few years, which are expected to be manufactured in the South American country.