Moscow – ISC Kosmotras successfully launched a cluster of 33 small spacecraft using a Dnepr RS-20 rocket on June 19, 2014 from Yasny (Dombarovsky) cosmodrome. Among them was the first Russian private Earth remote sensing satellite of the Sputnix Co., named TabletSat-Aurora, set into its target orbit.
Data from the microsatellite received via ScanEx ground network UniScan will be used in commercial, scientific, educational, and environmental projects.
"It is an important event for us," says Alexander Serkin, ISC Kosmotras CEO, "For 20 years we have been working with globally famous companies – spacecraft developers, the majority of them are private ones. And today we have an opportunity to participate in the implementation of a private space project in Russia. We are certainly proud to be a part of this event."
After its ascent to orbit, subsystems developed by the company will be tested. The first signal from TabletSat-Aurora has already been received. The spacecraft, which weighs 26kg and has a minimum designed life expectancy of 1 year, is equipped with a high-accuracy tri-axial orientation and stabilization system and an optical camera for imaging Earth from space with a resolution of 15m per pixel.
"The company considers TabletSat-Aurora as a universal platform for placement of scientific and commercial applications payloads," clarifies Stanislav Karpenko, Sputnix CTO.
The satellite platform and the majority of systems and equipment were developed by the company, with financial support from the Skolkovo and ISC Kosmotras.
In 2012, Sputnix, a daughter company of ScanEx, became a resident of Skolkovo and received a grant from the Skolkovo space cluster. It took 8 months to develop and prepare a microsatellite for the launch.
"We plan to create a cluster of small spacecraft and ultra-high detail imaging satellites," said Andrey Potapov, Sputnix CEO.
International Space Company (ISC) Kosmotras' core company business activities are associated with implementation of the Dnepr Program, a peaceful use of SS-18 (RS-20) ICBMs withdrawn from service. Since the inaugural Dnepr launch in April 1999, 20 commercial flights have been performed and the total number of payloads launched numbers 122.
The Seattle-based “space logistics company” Spaceflight Inc. arranged for the deployment of 11 Dove earth-imaging spacecraft from Planet Labs aboard the same Dnepr launch vehicle. The additional CubeSats will complement the existing Planet Labs constellation of 3U imaging spacecraft.
“We are excited to launch 11 more satellites, bringing the total number of Dove satellites launched to 43," said Mike Safyan, director of launch and regulatory at Planet Labs. "Through our unique approach to satellite design and frequency of launch, the satellites in orbit continue to get better and better."
“SmallSat constellations are a critical, growing piece of the space economy,” said Curt Blake, president of Spaceflight. “We are thrilled to expand our launch heritage with Planet Labs and ISC Kosmotras to enable the cost-effective and timely launch of small satellites.”
Using its expertise in navigating International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and export law and in the most recent export challenges around shipping ITAR-controlled hardware to Russia, Spaceflight arranged for Planet Labs’ U.S. payload to be exported to Russia for launch integration.
Spaceflight has launched 47 small satellites during a year and a half. Its next launch is scheduled for early July 2014 onboard Orbital Sciences’ Cygnus Orb-2 mission.
Other payloads launched aboard the Dnepr rocket on June 19 included satellites for Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Canada, and Italy, as well as Spain's Elecnor Deimos 2.
Also propelled into orbit were 21 CubeSats from 8 countries and BugSat 1, a 22kg demonstration microsat made in Argentina with a payload for use in part by the amateur radio community.
Sources: Sputnix, Spaceflight Inc.