It’s a Briefcase! It’s a Pizza Box! No, It’s a Mini Satellite

From the New York times. Full story here. Reporter William J. Broad.

Orbiting instruments are now so small they can be launched by the dozens, and even high school students can build them.



High school students and faculty from Irvine, Calif., conduct tests that simulate the harsh conditions of space. Their latest tiny satellite, IRVINE02, went into orbit on Dec. 3.CreditCreditKain Sosa

Recently, officials in California announced that the Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in the state’s history, had been fully contained. The achievement was made possible through the hard work of firefighters on the ground, with some help from above: a swarm of tiny, orbiting satellites that represent the next phase of the space age.

 

The satellites are operated by Planet Labs, a company in San Francisco that runs the world’s largest fleet of Earth-observing satellites. Its craft number around 140. All of them carry cameras and telescopes. In size, most rival a loaf of bread.

And:

On Monday Dec. 3, a SpaceX rocket in California sent aloft 64 satellites made by Planet Labs, and a total of 17 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Finland, Italy, Jordan, Poland, South Korea and Thailand. The rocket also carried IRVINE02, the second mini-satellite built by students of the Irvine school district.