Today at 10:40 am (CET) the first Polish satellite was launched into space from French Guiana. The satellite was created by the students of Warsaw University of Technology (Politechnika Warszawska, PW)- hence the name of the machine constructed by them, "PW-Sat".

Although the PW-Sat is small (slightly larger Rubik's cube) and weighs less than a kilogram, the functionality of it is amazing. The satellite will release a spiral covered with material, which then develops and creates about a meter long tail. The aim of the construction is to resist the satellite motion. This technology is designed to dispose of old, used or broken satellites from the orbit.

Polish satellite was constructed by the students of Warsaw University of Technology in cooperation with the Students’ Astronautics Circle of the same University and assisted by the experts from the Centre for Space Research of Polish Academy of Space.

Source:  European Space Agency, wyborcza.pl 

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/MSz/