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Always been fascinated by the Luigi Broglio Space Center (BSC), off the coast of Malindi. Glad to find the 1974 launch of satellite UK5 (Ariel 5 after launch) from its San Marco platform (monitored from the Santa Rita platform) documented by the Mullard Space Science Laboratory.
Ariel 5 was an X-ray astronomy satellite, a joint British & American initiative, to monitor the X-ray sky with a comprehensive payload. It was launched into a low inclination orbit (2.8 degrees), reason why BSC was chosen, it was near equatorial orbit. NASA image of Ariel 5...
Through the whole process leading up to the launch, the scientists (John Ives and team) lived on the Malindi mainland & travelled to & fro the platforms everyday by 'sea bus'. Below, the 'sea bus' & the scientific jargon of the whole UK5 process...
Ariel 5's mission lifetime was 15th October 1974 - 14th March 1980 & deemed a success. Over 100 scientific papers were published within 4 years of the launch & it brought many fundamental discoveries in the field of high energy astrophysics. Kenya's contribution to astrophysics.
There's been discussion about the Luigi Broglio Space Center (BSC) here on the TL before, @ngwata_ has written on its presence, extensively... https://mobile.twitter.com/ngwata_/status/1194908998971076608
Going back 4 years, before Ariel 5's launch, another Kenyan shining moment... https://mobile.twitter.com/NASAGoddard/status/1072921546472259584
