The Basque company AVS (Added Value Solutions) has launched LUR-1 into orbit this Friday, the first satellite designed and developed in the Basque Countryby means of the Space X company’s Falcon 9 rocket from the United States Space Force base in Vandenberg (California).
They have been Three years of scientific and technological activity and an investment of 8 million euros (40% from public funds) to make it possible to launch this satellite, which, according to the company, is the first ‘smallsat’ (small-sized satellite) made in Spain.
The takeoff took place at 20:56 hours and minutes after the launch the Separation of the rocket and the satellite, created in the Álava Technology Park -where the images it captures will be received-, and has begun to orbit at a distance of about 500 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.
Liftoff of Transporter-11! pic.twitter.com/R7UoMknxRk
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 16, 2024
LUR-1 is a 57kg microsatellite incorporating multi-band antennas, a deployable arm and solar panelsIt will orbit the Earth at a speed of 7 kilometers per second and has been designed to have a five-year shelf life. Once its useful life is over, it will be captured from its space orbit for subsequent re-entry into the atmosphere, where it will disintegrate.
Stage separation confirmed. Falcon 9’s first stage will now return to Earth, creating a brief sonic boom prior to landing at the landing zone → pic.twitter.com/0Q2qKtDJLV
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 16, 2024
Your mission will be Take high-definition images of the Earth, although the focus is initially on the geography of the Basque Countryto monitor the evolution of the coastline, analyse pest and river controls or manage crop distribution, among others.
The LUR-1 satellite incorporates the MICE device, also developed by the Alava company for the ESA (European Space Agency). MICE is the device that will be installed in all satellites. Copernicus programme satellites in preparation for deorbiting in the event of their becoming inoperative or for use at the end of their useful life.
This has made LUR-1 the first European satellite to put this technology into orbit, with the aim of demonstrating the possibility of getting rid of space junkthe company reported.
He Director of the LUR-1 mission, Rainer Diaz de Cerioexplained to EFE that after this first launch the company plans to put two more satellites into orbit between February and April of next year and a fourth in September.
The first 100% Basque satellite in orbit
