Satellite Made by Indonesian Students Successfully Launch into Orbit
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VIVA – Surya Satellite-1 (SS-1) by young Indonesian scientists was officially launched into orbit from the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday, January 6, 2023. The satellite departed for the ISS on November 27, 2022, aboard a SpaceX CRS-26 rocket.
The launch of Indonesia’s first nanosatellite is a starting point that shows that young scientists and the nation's children have succeeded in making great history in the achievement of the national space industry.
This is because the launch of nanosatellites is relatively new in Indonesia and the majority of those operating and in use today are microsatellites. SS-1 itself measures 10x10x11.35 cm and weighs 1 to 1.3 kg, smaller than microsatellites or Tubesat which usually weighs 50-70kg.
Pelepasan Surya Satellit-1 (SS1) dari ISS ke orbit
- Misrohatun Hasanah
Surya Satellite-1 Project Leader, Setra Yoman Prahyang mentioned that the SS-1 project was developed by seven students from Surya University, namely Hery Steven Mindarno, Setra Yoman Prahyang, M. Zulfa Dhiyaulfaq, Suhandinata, Afiq Herdika Sulistya, Roberto Gunawan, and Correy Ananta Adhilaksma.
The main mission of the SS-1 Project is APRS (Automatic Package Radio System) for the needs of Amateur Radio (ORARI) and can also function for communication and disaster detection.
"Since the beginning of the SS-1 project development, we have been greatly assisted by satellite technology researchers. Through this guidance, our satellite design was able to compete with other international CubeSats, so we won the Kibo-Cube competition and we obtained a launch slot from the ISS," Setra Yoman said.
Surya Satellite-1 (SS-1).
- Misrohatun Hasanah
Setra said he was happy that finally the sight they had wanted to see for six years ago could be witnessed directly with their own eyes.
Head of the Aviation and Space Research Organization, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Robertus Heru Triharjanto said that the launch and release of SS-1 into orbit will provide an injection of motivation for the importance of mastering satellite technology for Indonesia.
"In addition, SS-1 also has an important idea, namely to build the capability of Indonesia's young generation in mastering satellite technology," he said in Jakarta at the 'Release of Surya Satellite-1 (SS-1) from ISS' event.
The SS-1 project was initiated by young Indonesian students from Surya University in collaboration with the Indonesian Amateur Radio Organization (ORARI) in March 2016. In 2017, SS-1 began construction, and training on Nano Satellite manufacturing was conducted with supervision from researchers at the Satellite Technology Center.
