Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) of the UK has signed a contract with Russia's Rosvoorouzhenie to procure a launch of a Cosmos M booster from Plesetsk on 28 June. The booster will carry the Tsinghua microsatellite built by SSTL in conjunction with the Beijing-based university of the same name.
Also on board will be SSTL's first nanosatellite, SNAP 1, a 6kg (13lb) spacecraft carrying advanced micro-miniature global positioning system navigation, computing and attitude control technologies, as well as a mechanical vision system capable of inspecting satellites.
SNAP 1 will rendezvous with the Tsinghua microsatellite to demonstrate formation flying, to pave the way for the development of micro-nano satellite swarms and orbital constellations.
Source: Flight International
