2023-11-04 09:00:00
If conditions, particularly weather conditions, permit, this Tuesday, November 7, 2023, a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX, Elon Musk’s company also owner of the social network X (formerly Twitter), will take off from the Vandenberg space complex in California , in the United States, for the Transporter-9 mission. On board, among others, the fourth satellite of the company Aerospacelab, whose head office is located in Mont-Saint-Guibert and the factory in the Center Monnet, in Louvain-la-Neuve.
This small satellite was named SPIP, for mutliSPectral Imagery Prototype. A nod also to Spip, Spirou’s little red squirrel. We also find the comic book character on the mission’s badge.
In a press release, the general director of the Dupuis publishing house, Julie Durot, testifies: “We would never have believed that fiction might become so close to reality for Spip! In the comics industry, the Space has always been considered one of the most inspiring themes of exploration. To have a satellite named following one of our historical figures with its dedicated mission patch is simply incredible.”
The director of Aerospacelab, Benoît Deper, underlines that “thanks to the practical applications of the mission for Earth observation and the significant symbolism of its badge, we hope that this partnership with Dupuis will contribute to bridging the gap between science and the general public, emphasizing the importance of space exploration and scientific activities. Through its dedicated missions and badges, space encourages inclusion in the scientific community and promotes a better understanding of the world that surrounds us.”
The SPIP satellite, whose lifespan is estimated at 5 years, is a small machine (120 kilos) which was built by Aerospacelab in Louvain-la-Neuve with financial support from the Walloon Region. “Its mission will demonstrate the performance of Earth observation payload prototypes, as a basic element for future multispectral missions,” explains the company which aims, in the years to come, to launch and operate a constellation of small Earth observation satellites.
To do this, it is counting on its mega-factory which should be able to produce around 500 satellites per year. It should open in 2025 in Charleroi, 1.5 kilometers from the Dupuis headquarters.
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