Protecting our rural areas
Locally relevant issue:
Mapping invasive alien plant species is becoming a high priority for resource managers and researchers across the globe in order to stimulate a circular economy.
Execution proposition:
“What if you can look after the plants with a satellite instead of a microscope? Learn how to protect our natural habitat using Earth observation imagery with CASSINI Hackathon.”
Main focus of our Hackathon is detection of green and water spaces in urban areas. Monitoring and preservation of green and blue corridors in cities provide important data for local and national urban planning, protects biodiversity and ensures diverse habitats and healthy ecosystems. Combining Sentinel data with our own satellite images from Nemo-HD and high-resolution ortophotos will provide participants with a wide range of possibilities to explore the topics of digitisation of green spaces and give them opportunity to work with data from the first Slovenian microsatellite. Participants will have a unique opportunity to see Nemo-HD control room and ground station and learn more about the work behind the design, launch, operating a small satellite and data post production.
Today at 3:51:10 CEST the Vega rocket successfully launched 53 satellites into space, including the first Slovenian microsatellite NEMO-HD, which separated from the rocket into its orbit 40 minutes after takeoff. In the morning we successfully established our first contact with it.
VV16 liftoff with NEMO-HD on board.
After yesterday’s successful launch of Ariane 5, the launch of Vega rocket with our NEMO-HD onboard is announced for September 1, 2020 French Guiana local time, i. e. September 2, 2020 at 3:51 CEST.
Vega fairing, VV16. Photo: Arianespace.
Due to the persistence of exceptionally unfavorable winds at altitude over the Guiana Space Center, Vega Flight VV16 – originally scheduled for June 18, 2020 – was repeatedly postponed, despite full availability the launcher and the 53 satellites including the firts Slovenian microsatellite NEMO-HD. The next launch attempt is set for 17 August onwards.
Weather conditions above the Guiana Space Center for Vega VV16 launch are improving. According to the weather predictions there may be opportunity to initialise the final chronology operations for Vega Flight VV16 on Saturday 27.6.2020.
Preparations for the launch are in the final stage both in Kourou, French Guiana, and Ljubljana.
Prof. dr. Tomaž Rodič during the preparations for the Vega VV16 launch in
Jupiter 2 control center.
Vega rocket is with NEMO-HD already on its launchpad.
Installation of the fairing with 53 satellites on the upper stage of Vega rocket (AVUM)
Vega rocket in the mobile ganty
ready for launch
The first Slovenian microsatellite NEMO-HD is ready for launch with Vega rocket. On the 16th flight of Vega rocket there will be 7 microsatellites, including NEMO-HD, and 46 nanosatellites.
NEMO-HD ready for launch.
SSMS structure with 7 micro and 46 nano satellites.
Arianespace has set a new launch date for the Vega rocket (VV16) which will take our NEMO-HD microsatellite into orbit. The launch will take place on 19 June 2020 CET i.e. June 18 local time – the rocket will be launched from European launch site in French Guiana.