The small Argentine satellite “Dibu Martínez” was successfully launched by the SpaceX company

Finally, the picosatellite bearing the name of “Dibu” Martínez was launched into space this Tuesday by SpaceX. Once in orbit, this mechanical object will take between 7 to 9 days be operational.

From next week the communication work phase will begin together with the other twin satellite, Juana Azurduy, of the Innova Space operations center, and the Mar del Plata company will have updates every 48 hours.

The SpaceX company, founded by Elon Musk, launched a 70-meter Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday to put 114 small satellites into orbit, including “Dibu” Martínez and Juana Azurduy.

The rocket took off from Pad 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and was the first of up to 100 missions on SpaceX’s 2023 schedule, after a record 61 launches last year.

This type of satellite provides internet communications for devices in industries such as mining, agriculture and ranching in rural or remote areas where there is no connectivity.

As explained by the CEO of Innova Space, Alejandro Cordero, they have decided to rename the picosatellite which was initially called Simón Bolívar, and name it after the world champion goalkeeper of Mar del Plata, and leave the name of the Libertador for the next development.

“This event showed everyone that nothing is impossible. The dream has become a reality created by Innova Space. Now, another from Mar del Plata like our students is today a new example that everything is possible if we really put our passion and work into it. “Dibu” and the entire national team brought us the most desired Cup in Argentina after 36 years, won also thanks to perseverance, without ever giving up”, underlined the entrepreneur and teacher.

small satellite

The word picosatellite refers to a small satellite. The prefix “pico” comes from the Italian word “piccolo” or small. Picosatellites typically weigh less than a pound and are built with the goal of reducing construction and launch costs.

“We feel a lot of empathy with Dibu, as an Argentinian and from Mar del Plata, and the idea of ​​naming our satellite after him has to do with the humble beginnings we share with him as a company, and having reached a place where it was extremely difficult to reach without forgetting where it came from,” he said.

Although both are morphologically different from “MDQube SAT-1 – General San Martín”, the first satellite built by the company and launched on January 13, their functions will be similar.

“This type of satellite provides Internet communications for devices in industries such as mining, agriculture and livestock, in rural or remote areas where there is no connectivity,” explained the company’s CEO .

The announcement of the new name for the brand new satellite was anticipated through the networks by Cordero, together with Luca Uriarte and Iván Mellina, two young students who are part of Innova Space.

Although he warned that “international records should be carefully examined”, he assured that “it is perhaps the first satellite in orbit with the name of a footballer”.