The Space Director of AVS, the company responsible for the design and development of the rocket, has assured that everything is ready from Vandenberg (California) and that the mission will be monitored from Vitoria-Gasteiz. The launch has been postponed to 20:56 Euskal Herria time.
The company Alava AVS (Value Added Solutions) This Friday, LUR-1 will be launched into orbit, the first satellite designed and developed entirely in Euskal Herria, specifically at the company’s facilities in the Álava Technology Park.
AVS Space Director, Christina Ortegaassured in an interview on Radio Euskadi this morning that they are happy and excited to start a new phase.
‘We have news from space. The rocket launch will take place around 8:56 p.m., which has been delayed by a few minutes.
As he explained, most of the team will watch the launch from the AVS facilities, and they expect to receive the first signal from the rocket about an hour and twenty minutes after launch.
From Vitoria-Gasteiz they will monitor the entire operation thanks to a series of antennas that collect satellite data on a specific frequency.
This rocket, according to Ortega, has greater precision than others, such as Copernicus, and will allow for more precise measurements and research that “have not been possible so far.”
This milestone required three years of intensive scientific and technological activity, in addition to an investment of € 8 million of euros. “It is an extraordinary qualitative leap for AVS,” the company emphasizes in a note.
To make the journey to space a reality, the satellite was placed on board the rocket Falcon 9 of the company SpaceXfounded by entrepreneur Elon Musk. The launch was originally scheduled for 8:18 p.m. (Euskal Herria time) from the U.S. Space Force base Vandenberg (California).
Minutes after launch, the rocket and satellite will separate. Once this phase is complete, the planet will orbit at a distance of approximately 515 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.
LUR-1 is conceived as a microsatellite 57 kilo which incorporates antennas of different bands (UHF, S and X), a deployable arm and solar panels. More than a thousand days of work and 8 million euros were invested in the design and production, of which the 40% comes from public funds.
The satellite, which is orbiting at a speed of 7 kilometers per secondis designed for a lifespan of five years. Once this period has elapsed, it will be captured from its orbit and then re-entered into the atmosphere, where it will disintegrate.
High-definition images and durability
All these technological developments are intended to capture high-definition images of the Earth, although the focus of the mission is in principle on the geography of the Basque Country, to contemplate the evolution of the coastline, analyze pests and rivers or to study the distribution of crops, among other things.
The device is built into the LUR-1 satellite MICEalso developed by the company Alava for the ESA (European Space Agency).
MICE is the device that will be installed on all Copernicus programme satellites to prepare them for deorbitation when they are no longer operational or for use at the end of their life. This makes LUR-1 the first European satellite to have put this technology in orbit. The aim is to demonstrate the possibility of getting rid of space debris and thus achieving a more sustainable space.
The space sector generates around 800 million euros annually in the Basque Autonomous Community, employs around 5,000 professionals and accounts for 5.7% of GDP.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
