Ukraine launches project to create the first student space instrument
21 March 16:40
Ukraine is launching a unique project to create the first student space instrument – a spectrometer for a satellite. Its development will take place at the Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in cooperation with leading experts in space technology.
This was reported by the Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
According to Olena Kompaniyets, a junior researcher and spokeswoman for the GAO of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the first stage of the project has already begun, which involves creating a payload model.
“The project is already working. Lectures are ongoing, during which students receive a theoretical basis. After that, together with their supervisors, they will begin direct practice. And this is the peculiarity of the project: we give them only the knowledge that they will use in the future to create real space technology. At first, it will be just a prototype. But we all hope that the project will develop further, and it will all end with the students launching their own satellite,” Kompaniets said.
In addition, the process of registering a public organization called Bee First, which will serve as a platform for implementing projects in the space industry, is currently underway.
According to Ivan Syniavsky, Head of the Department of Atmospheric Optics and Instrumentation at the Main Astronomical Observatory, PhD, the project has selected students who will be involved in the creation of a student space instrument.
“We selected students based on their knowledge of mathematics, physics, and programming. They sent us their motivation letters. Interviews were also held so that we could understand whether this person could really work in the project. Now we have seven students on our team. The peculiarity is that we provide specific knowledge of physics, polarization measurements, and payload development. So that they learn step by step and can immediately apply the knowledge they have gained in practice,” emphasized Sinyavsky.
“Student satellites are not something new. There are about 2,000 of them flying around the world. For example, the People’s Satellite initiative. These satellites were developed by Finnish students who have been building satellites for over 10 years. In Ukraine, the situation is somewhat different. For example, KPI makes small cubesats. But there are almost no applied technologies in Ukraine. Indeed, students know the theory of creating satellites. But unfortunately, they cannot learn how to solder them, what to do to prevent them from disintegrating in space. That’s why we plan to draw on the experience of our foreign colleagues and use international practices so that the team not only implements a specific project but also lays the groundwork for new developments,” Khmara emphasized.
Dmytro Khmara, founder of MySat and Aerobavovna startups, noted that such student initiatives are common practice in the world. However, such projects have not been implemented in Ukraine before.
At the same time, Ruslana Tulupova, head of the NGO “Agency of Extracurricular Education,” noted that the implementation of projects in the space industry will be of strategic importance for Ukraine. In particular, in the areas of economy, national security, communications, navigation, and information processing.
“One of the goals of this project is to create a team of scientists, motivated students, businesses, and government institutions. Currently, we do not have an actual space program in Ukraine, and this creates obstacles to the emergence of small space startups… But it is at the stage of our project that we are working to cover the topic of space and its relevance as much as possible. To attract the attention of potential specialists who will participate in the development of the future space program. And the development of this area will allow Ukraine to integrate into the global space market,” Tulupova said.
According to the Main Astronomical Observatory, the second and third stages of the project are planned to be implemented in the future. They involve the direct creation of the satellite and its subsequent launch into space. To implement these stages, we will search for funds as a space startup. In addition, the possibility of expanding the student team and scaling the project is being considered.
