Press releases

MINSK, 10 April (BelTA) – The Belarusian State University (BSU) plans to launch a university nanosatellite in 2017, BelTA learned from Sergei Zolotoi, Director of the R&D enterprise Geoinformation Systems of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB), on 10 April.

“The BSU has created a university satellite and plans to launch it in 2017,” Sergei Zolotoi said. The nanosatellite made by the Belarusian State University has all the components its big brother has. Yet the nanosatellite weighs only some 2kg and has extremely compact dimensions — 20x10x10cm. The Belarusian State University has established a satellite control center and a data reception station. The satellite will use amateur radio frequencies. Such a spacecraft is much cheaper than big-sized satellites.

Miniaturized satellites have become increasingly common in recent years although nanosatellites are not meant for a long-term service. “We would like it to work for more than three months. This is why we plan to launch it into a higher orbit,” Sergei Zolotoi remarked.

Head of the NASB Office Piotr Vityaz pointed out that the NASB together with the Education Ministry is elaborating a training program in space technology and a program to create university nanosatellites. The NASB and the ministry also plan to set up a joint branch of a BSU department.

Belarus also takes part in an international project related to information exchange on satellite design. “Belarus participates in an international project related to the programs Horizon 2020 and Erasmus. From now on it will also engage such Belarusian universities as the BSU, the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics (BSUIR), and the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU). These universities will set up joint nanosatellite design courses. The NASB will help conduct testing for students of these courses. This project is designed to run till 2020,” Sergei Zolotoi clarified. The project will promote the technologies used to create micro- and nanosatellites in Belarus.