Russia’s Soyuz-FG launch vehicle launched five satellites into orbit from Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan. Aboard the rocket were Russia’s remote-sensing satellite Canopus-B and research satellite MKA-PN1, Belarus’ remote-sensing satellite BKA, Canada’s communications satellite ADS-1B and Germany’s mini satellite TET-1.
The German Space Agency (DLR) TET-1 is a 70 kg satellite, built by Astrofein. The satellite is part of DLR’s On-Orbit-Verification (OOV) programme. The TET-1 will be operated as part of the OOV programme for 14 months under contract of the German space agency and will be handed over then to DLR Research and Development department to be used as one part of the FIREBIRD constellation.
ADS-1B – also known as ExactView-1 – was built under contract for exactEarth, becoming the fifth deployed satellite in exactEarth’s advanced vessel monitoring satellite constellation. The UK’s Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) acted as the launch agent for the satellite, in collaboration with Commercial Space Technologies (CST) of Russia.
Other satellites on board Soyuz-FG, Canopus-B and BKA, are both remote sensing satellites. The other Russian MKA-PN1 satellite was developed by Russia’s NPO Lavochkin aerospace company to study ocean circulation and climate data along the Russian coastline.
Source: NASA Spaceflight
