Two Swedish Prisma satellites have been successfully launched aboard a Dnepr launcher from Yasny, Russia.
The Prisma satellites, clamped together in launch configuration, separated from the rocket 16 minutes into the mission.
The Prisma will demonstrate technologies for autonomous formation flying and rendezvous, and include verification of systems for guidance, navigation and control, software and sensors, and two propulsion systems.
At present, the solar array panels have been deployed and all subsystems on both satellites will undergo verification culminating in the separation of the satellites – Mango and Tango – on 3 August 2010.
The series of experiments will begin after the separation in August 2010 and continue for ten months.
The Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) has developed a major part of the onboard technologies, navigation experiments and mission control software for the satellites.
The navigation experiments, software and sensors for Prisma has been provided by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the French space agency (CNES) and the Danish University of Technology.
