Polish companies are working on a satellite constellation for imaging the Earth

HyperSat is planned as a universal, modular platform that, equipped with specialized instruments, will allow to carry out space missions for various purposes - from radio and telecommunications to observational: optoelectronic and radar. Its weight will range from 10 kg to 60 kg, and sizes from 35x35x10 cm to 35x35x60 cm. It will provide all necessary on-board subsystems such as on-board computer, power system and a system for communication with the Earth. The platform is being prepared by Creotech Instruments, which received funding from the National Centre for Research and Development for the project in June 2017.

Scanway specializes in designing and manufacturing solutions based on vision and laser technologies. The company from Wrocław is currently developing the first Polish instrument for imaging the Earth, adapted to work in orbit. The scanner will allow to image the Earth in high resolution and in a wide spectrum, up to far infrared. The idea named ScanSAT also received fast track funding from the National Centre for Research and Development.

A letter of intent concluded in December between Creotech and Scanway provides for joint efforts to carry out a technology mission based on the HyperSat platform and testing Scanway solution - reads the release sent to PAP. The Scanway scanner will be adapted to work with the HyperSat platform, whose parameters will in turn be adapted to the requirements of space missions. According to Scanway, in the future thus configured Earth observation satellite could provide photos with resolutions of less than 1 meter per pixel.

"HyperSat, as an open and flexible platform, is designed to support the integration and testing of instruments developed by young and dynamic enterprises. Thus we want to integrate the national environment and together create a larger whole with similar companies. (...) The Scanway project is very ambitious, and its creators will certainly have to overcome many technical and technological difficulties. But if it succeeds, the opportunities offered by Scanway can have a very positive impact on the development of the space sector in Poland" - said Creotech Instruments SA CEO Dr. Grzegorz Brona, quoted in the release sent to PAP.

"Based on our experience in the field of scanners for science and industry, we intend to base our design on a system of precise deflected mirrors, which will allow us to quickly acquire images in many ranges of the light spectrum of interesting for end users. The optical system design based on mirrors will allow to scan the Earth\'s surface in the range from 400 to 12,000 nm, which also means the possibility of thermographic observation of the planet" - explained Scanway CEO Jędrzej Kowalewski. (PAP)

PAP - Science in Poland

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