st Swiss satellite launches in India Switzerland has sent its first satellite, a cube 10 centimetres on each side and weighing less than a kilogram, into orbit around Earth.
The countdown for the launch of Oceansat-2 satellite that would help identify potential fishing zones and in coastal zone studies from Sriharikota, 90 kilometres from here began today. The 970-kg satellite would be shot into space on September 23 by Indian Space Research Organisation's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) along with six European nano spacecrafts, giving the mission an European flavour.
University builds first all-Swiss satellite, choose ISRO for launch Students here have built the first all-Swiss cube satellite to study the upper atmosphere and test low-cost positioning system and have turned to ISRO to put it in orbit. Built by students at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), the 10x10x10 cm Cubesat -- named as the SwissCube -- weighs less than a kilogram and is equipped with a mini telescope besides over 1,000 components.
The SwissCube is the first satellite to be exclusively developed by Swiss students, and is scheduled to be launched by the end of 2008. EuroNews spoke to some of the students involved in the creation of this 1 kg satellite which will help professionals reveal the secrets of the atmosphere. Read more