Internet Satellite
p2pnet.net News: – A team of 250 students from universities across Europe has built a space-ready satellite —
— with their collaboration organized via the Net.
Now their SSETI Express is being integrated in a European Space Agency cleanroom for a planned launch in May next year, says the ESA.
The completed subsystems are being delivered to ESA’s European Space Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands and ‘remote’participants from Italy to Denmark are following the integration process through daily photo updates, the integration logbook, and even a webcam.
“Like a Russian doll, SSETI Express will carry inside it three smaller ‘cubesats’- 10-centimetre cube technology testers built respectively by universities in Germany, Japan and Norway – for deployment when in orbit,” says the ESA.
“The main SSETI Express satellite itself will test and characterise a propulsion system, return images of the Earth and serve as a transponder for amateur radio users.”
“We hope to have the flight model completed by the end of November, in time to undergo space worthiness checks including vibration and thermal vacuum testing and ensuring electromagnetic compatibility. The key deadline we face is to transport the spacecraft to Russia by the end of February next year for a projected launch in mid May. Then just four or five people from our team will attend the launch, to be chosen according to those most capable to perform the pre-flight preparations and testing we are currently defining.”
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See:-
the Net – Built via the internet, student satellite coming to life at ESA-ESTEC, ESA, October 19, 2004
