Finland Times

Works on the first Finnish nano-satellite Aalto-1 is on in Otaniemi, Espoo, on Friday. The Aalto-1 is scheduled to be launched into space in late 2015 (right). Photo – Lehtikuva.

The first Finnish made satellite, Aalto-1, a satellite project by students is likely to be launched in space in December this year.

The pint sized satellite will be launched in space along with other satellites on a US launch space.

Nearly half of the satellites made by students fail to contact the Earth after being launched in space.

Antti Kestilä, a doctoral student who has been involved in the development of Aalto-1 for years declares that the satellite has been tested exceptionally well. Its likelihood of contacting the Earth is much better, he says.

The satellite will carry a spectrometer device developed at Technical Research Centre of Finland-VTT used in environmental remote sensing 600 kilometres above the Earth.

The satellite is designated to orbit the Earth for about two years. Afterwards, an electrostatic plasma brake developed by the Finnish Meteorological Institute will slow down the satellite which will return to the atmospheric ring completing its task.

Thanks to voluntary work and falling costs in the space technology, the country can get its first satellite at a relatively low cost.

Associate Professor Jaan Praks who is the leader responsible for the Aalto-1 project believes there is a major breakthrough in the field.

"I believe that cheaper orbiting will be commercialized. At the same time, satellites images and navigation will become ordinary," Praks said.