Successful launch of the Prisma satellites
The Prisma satellites were successfully launched aboard a Dnepr launcher from Yasny, Russia, on 15 June 2010. Sixteen minutes after take-off, the launcher released the two Prisma satellites, clamped together in launch configuration.

One minute before estimated time, 1,5 hours after launch, SSC’s Esrange Space Center had its first contact with Prisma and established communication links with the mission control center in Solna. SSC’s operations team could verify that the satellites were safe sunpointing and that all systems were in a nominal state. All subsystems on both satellites will now be successively verified, before the planned separation of the two satellites, Mango and Tango, on 3 August.

Prisma will demonstrate break-through technologies for autonomous formation flying and rendezvous. The mission comprises the verification of innovative systems for guidance, navigation and control, software and sensors as well as for space propulsion. The series of experiments will commence after the separation in August and continue for ten months.

SSC is the prime contractor for Prisma and has developed the major part of the onboard technologies and navigation experiments as well as the mission control software. The two new propulsion systems onboard, developed by the SSC companies NanoSpace and ECAPS, make their first spaceflight ever on this mission. The German Aerospace Center DLR, the French space agency CNES and the Danish University
of Technology have contributed with navigation experiments, software and sensors.

The Swedish National Space Board is the initiator of the Prisma mission and finances the project with support from the space agencies of France and Germany.

Technologies for autonomous formation flying and rendezvous are required in scientific missions where two or more spacecraft need to interact to form powerful antennas and telescopes. These innovations are also essential in missions that involve docking and inspections of satellites in orbit.

Follow reports about each mission event on www.prismasatellites.se

 

  
SSC engineers at Yasny
Tango is attached on top of Mango and the configuration has been mounted on the Dnepr launcher platform.
 
Relief in the SSC mission control room Communication is established and everything works fine!