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“Poland’s largest satellite was launched on August 16. This date was set by the company SpaceXstart the service provider. Hawkeye Launched into Earth orbit by a rocket Falcon-9 from Vandenberg Base, California, as part of the Transporter-11 mission,” Creotech Instruments SA announced in a statement released Thursday evening.
Poland’s first large satellite flies into space
After years of satellite system research Super Satellitewhich is based on Poland’s first large satellitethe moment of truth has come. The Falcon 9 rocket will launch EagleEye into space. This is the moment that we and the entire Polish space industry have been waiting for for a long time (…) For me personally, this will be a very special event. 12 years ago, when Creotech Instruments SA was founded, we announced that the company’s goal was to acquire the capabilities to design and produce all-Polish satellites. No one believed it then. Now, after building laboratories, production facilities and, most importantly, attracting great people to Creotech (with the mission of building EagleEye), we are ready – says Grzegorz Brona, Chairman of the Management Board of Creotech Instruments SA in a press release.
“Breakthrough Project”
According to reports, the Hawkeye is the largest and most advanced microsatellite in my country’s history, built by Creotech Instruments and domestic enterprises. “It weighs approx. 55 kgwhich is equal to the total mass of all Polish satellites built since we started participating in space exploration. This is a groundbreaking project for the whole of Poland Space sector At the same time, this is an important step in developing the country’s capabilities in the design, construction, integration and launch of small satellites,” the message sent was emphasized.
Creotech recalls that EagleEye is based on the proprietary HyperSat platform, which has become a key element in many national and European projects. Optical telescope from Scanway, Polandcapable of taking pictures of the Earth’s surface in the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) bands, as well as Space Research Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences” – according to reports.
Special maneuvers
According to the information sent, the mission will first place EagleEye in an orbit of about 510 kilometers, from where A maneuver to lower a satellite to a very low orbit (VLEO – Very Low Earth Orbit) using ion engines, at an altitude of about 350 km. “The possibilities of operating it and imaging the Earth will also be examined there. It will be supervised by Creotech Instruments engineers The whole task from the Mission Operations Center at the company’s headquarters in Warsaw,” the company announced.
The SpaceX Problem
The launch was originally scheduled for earlier but was delayed due to problems with SpaceX, the company providing orbital transportation services. During the Falcon 9 mission, a second stage engine failed. The flight suspension lasted about two weeks.
What is Hawkeye
EagleEye is the most advanced satellite in Polish history. It will be able to photograph the Earth at extremely high resolution One meter per pixel. This is mainly due to modern airborne telescopes developed by Scanway. It is also due to the satellites being able to orbit in very low orbits, at an altitude of only about 350 kilometers.
The satellite weighs 55 kg and measures 55 cm x 150 cm x 90 cm with its solar panels unfolded.
As Creotech experts point out, EagleEye “has the opportunity to introduce Poland to an elite group of countries capable of creating such advanced space systems for national needs, European Space Agency and customers from all over the world. So far, only eight European entities have demonstrated their ability to build and test satellites weighing at least 50 kg in space.
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