After a long journey, ISTSat-1, which has met all the rigorous requirements of ESA - European Space Agency, is finally ready to launch on the Ariane 6 on July 9th.

This nanosatellite is designed to detect aircraft in regions that other technologies cannot reach, addressing a critical need for tracking flying objects in inaccessible areas.

This achievement is the result of a successful collaboration among a large team of researchers, students, and organizations.

The project is coordinated by Rui Rocha, a professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (DEEC) at Técnico, a senior researcher at the Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT), and one of the founders of IST NanosatLab. The development of ISTSat-1 received financial support from Técnico, INESC-ID, IT, and IDMEC. The project also involved contributions from ISR Lisbon and several industry partners. 

View the Ariane 6 integration process here.

Photo credits: Núcleo de Comunicação e Imagem do IST TagusPark

Video credits: ESA