Yesterday early in the morning (at 5:15 Polish time), a Chinese Long March 4B rocket reached orbit Polish scientific satellite Hevelius. This named after the Gdańsk astronomer satellite observation will deal with the brightness of stars. Construction resembles nanosatellites Cubesat, which we wrote last year, it is from them but a bit larger and heavier.
Hevelius was developed at the Center for Space Research Polish Academy of Sciences. It is part of the so-called. BRITE constellation – the artificial satellites fired in the common international mission. BRITE consortium include, in addition to the Space Research Centre and the Centre for Astronomy in Warsaw, and research institutes from Austria and Canada.
At the moment, apart from Hevelius, the constellation should be a second Polish satellite Lem, two satellites Austrian and one Canadian. Each of them has built a specialized optical equipment – a kind of a small telescope.
Hevelius different from their fellow cosmic few details.
Telescope, in which it is fitted, it was designed at the Center for Space Research. On board (small – the entire satellite weighs about seven kilograms) is the antenna boom and the protecting shield przeciwpromienna matrix telescope. The satellite is also equipped with radio transmitters and receivers, and a special identification transmitter, designed for amateurs.
Hevelius revolves around the Earth at a speed of 28 000 km / h – so our planet orbits within okołu half hours.
The first time you fly over our country (yesterday around 10:00 am) ground station was able to establish contact with him.
All reported parameters are normal, and the next mission to elevate Polish scientific satellite should be considered successful.
Polish names of the satellites were chosen by Internet users at the time of voting announced by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education 2010 years. Gdańsk astronomer Johannes Hevelius and the Polish science fiction writer Stanislaw Lem were thus symbolically honored as people gazing at the stars. On the inner panel of Hevelius is also engraved coat of arms of Danzig.
Cooperation in the BRITE consortium may be the beginning of a larger Polish space program.
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