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Kraków students launch Poland’s smallest satellite for environmental research

14.01.2025 16:00
A team of students from Kraków’s AGH University of Science and Technology is sending “HYPE”—Poland’s smallest satellite—into orbit on Tuesday aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter-12 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The Hype satellite. Photo:
The "Hype" satellite. Photo:SatLab AGH

The 5x5x5 cm satellite will investigate environmental issues, such as light pollution and volcanic dust, using a miniature spectrometer.

“HYPE” will orbit at an altitude of 525 km, deploying after separation from the launch vehicle. The satellite features a folding arm with a small camera aimed at a built-in display, showcasing graphics sent from Earth—a move designed to promote Polish technology and inspire young people to pursue science and engineering.

The project team has installed a special antenna at AGH’s Center for Space Technologies, enabling communication with the satellite and potential future missions.

Once operational, “HYPE” data could support research on topics including deforestation and gas emissions.

The AGH group’s next venture will involve a larger CubeSat with a hyperspectral camera and an experimental laser communication module—the first of its kind in Poland.

(jh)

Source: PAP, RMF24