Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




MICROSAT BLITZ
Proba-2's Journey To Russia Marks Its First Step Towards Space
by Staff Writers
Paris, France (ESA) Jul 07, 2009


Proba-2, final checks. Credits: ESA

Proba-2, one of the smallest satellites ESA has ever built for space, is about to leave its Belgian homeland. Its development and testing complete, the satellite is being packed up for the first leg of its journey to orbit - shipment to the distant Plesetsk launch site in northern Russia.

Proba-2 is second in ESA's Project for OnBoard Autonomy series, building on nearly eight years of operational experience gained with Proba-1. While standard satellites are truck-sized structures, the Proba satellites have a volume of less than one cubic metre. But this small scale does not limit their functionality: Proba-2 incorporates a total of 17 new technological developments and four scientific experiments, focused on solar and space weather observations.

Like Proba-1 before it, Proba-2 was constructed for ESA by Verhaert Design and Development in the East Flanders town of Kruibeke, with the support of the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office. On Wednesday Belgian Minister for Science Policy Sabine Laruelle visited the company to bid farewell to the satellite and emphasise again the importance of space technology for the Belgian space policy.

"Proba-2 is the result of ESA's commitment to technological innovation," said Director Courtois. "This mission is serving as a testbed for a variety of new space technologies. And the next two in the Proba series, the Proba-3 formation flying demonstrator and Proba-V vegetation monitoring mission, are already in preparation."

"PROBA was developed under the ESA General Studies Technology Programme (GSTP), which fosters the development of flight hardware," explained Frank Preud'homme, Verhaert Space Business Unit Manager.

"This allowed Verhaert Space to build up satellite engineering capabilities and to attain a competitive position on the international market for small satellites."

David Berghmans of the Royal Observatory of Belgium briefed journalists on Proba-2's Sun-monitoring instruments: LYRA (Lyman-Alpha Radiator) is designed to measure solar irradiance in key ultraviolet bands, while SWAP (Sun Watcher using Active pixel detector and image Processing) will make ultraviolet observations of the corona around the Sun.

Two further science instruments developed by a scientific consortium from the Czech Republic will detect the radiation and plasma environment around the spacecraft.

In-orbit technology testing supporting European competitiveness
The Proba series are part of ESA's GSTP In-orbit Technology Demonstration Programme: missions dedicated to the demonstration of innovative technologies. In orbit demonstration is the final step on the technology development ladder, proving new hardware has the 'right stuff' for ongoing use.

Such missions provide small and medium sized companies with rich operational experience essential for European industry to remain innovative and competitive.

As part of ESA's strategy to reduce mission costs the satellite will piggyback its way to orbit aboard the same Rockot launcher carrying ESA's full-sized Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) Earth Explorer satellite. The two are scheduled to launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome on 2 November.

.


Related Links
Proba Series
Microsat News and Nanosat News at SpaceMart.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








MICROSAT BLITZ
Picosatellite To Begin Milestone Small-Satellite Mission
Austin TX (SPX) Jun 11, 2009
In an initial step toward the first successful rendezvous and docking of very small satellites without human control, a pair of miniature "picosatellites" built by University of Texas at Austin and Texas A and M University engineering students will be launched into orbit this month from Space Shuttle Endeavour. In the process, the students will try to accomplish what only multi-million-dollar ... read more


MICROSAT BLITZ
Seeking Synergy To Return To The Moon

Forty years ago man first walked on the moon

LRO Sends First Lunar Images To Earth

First Conclusive Signature For Lunar Uranium

MICROSAT BLITZ
NASA Phoenix Results Point To Martian Climate Cycles

Landforms Indicate Recent Warm Weather On Mars

Opportunity Moves To Outcrop For Rest

Spirit Continues To Study Troy

MICROSAT BLITZ
Green Room helping Japanese expedition

US manned space flight in doubt 40 years after moon walk

Boeing Team To Develop Revolutionary Spacecraft Power System

Rocket Launch Helps Prepare MSU Faculty For Training Students

MICROSAT BLITZ
China to launch Mars space probe

China To Launch First Mars Probe In Second Half Of 2009

China Launches Yaogan VI Remote-Sensing Satellite

China Able To Send Man To Moon Around 2020

MICROSAT BLITZ
ISS Appearing Nationwide Over July 4 Weekend

Cargo Ship To Undock From ISS, Serve As Technical Platform

Space Station Room With A View

Progress To Undock From ISS June 30

MICROSAT BLITZ
Brazil Plans To Expand Rocket Launching Base At North

Russia launches US radio satellite: report

Largest-Ever Telecommunications Satellite Launched

ILS Proton Launches SIRIUS FM-5 Satellite

MICROSAT BLITZ
STScI Joins The Search For Other Earths In Space

Five 'Holy Grails' Of Distant Solar Systems

Planet-Forming Disk Orbiting Twin Suns Revealed

Planet-Hunting Method Succeeds At Last

MICROSAT BLITZ
Satellite Successfully Performs Post-Launch Maneuvers

LockMart Awarded Concept Development Contract For USAF Space Fence

Bridges built from recycled plastic

Vietnam To Operate Its First Satellite Image Receiving Station




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement