Netsat Satellites successfully launched into space.

28.09.2020

Group photo on the occasion of the Netsat launch

Prof. Norbert Menke (CEO S4 GmbH), Julian Scharnagl (Project Manager Netsat), Helmut Kaltenhauser (MdL), Prof. Klaus Schilling (Member of the Board of Management ZfT), Judith Gerlach (Minister of State for Digital Affairs), Hubert Aiwanger (Minister of State for Economics, Regional Development and Energy) and Daniel Eck (CEO ZfT) are presenting the fifth Netsat satellite that remained on earth (Photo: P. D. Kremmydas)

The four small Netsat satellites were launched on 28.09.2020 at 13:20 Central European Summer Time from the Russian Plessezk Cosmodrome with a Soyuz rocket. Around 16:50 hrs the satellites were successfully decoupled from the launch vehicle and are now in orbit at an altitude of about 600 km.

ZfT and the project partner, S4 GmbH, celebrated this highlight with a launch party in the test and demonstration hall of the Center for Telematics. Among the guests on site were media representatives and team members as well as the Bavarian Minister of State for Digital Affairs, MdL Judith Gerlach, and the Bavarian Minister of State for Economy, State Development and Energy, MdL Hubert Aiwanger, and MdL Helmut Kaltenhauser. In addition, the Bavarian Minister-President, MdL Markus Söder, and the Federal Government’s Coordinator for Aerospace, MdB Thomas Jarzombek, congratulated the participants by video message. Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, President of the European Research Council, was also connected live via video stream and congratulated the Netsat team.

Due to the restrictions imposed by the corona virus, the number of guests was very limited, but the entire event was broadcast live on the Internet. The recording of the stream is available on YouTube.

ZfT board member Prof. Klaus Schilling, S4 managing director Prof. Norbert Menke, project manager Julian Scharnagl and ZfT managing director Daniel Eck were proud of the outstanding performance of the Netsat team at the press conference following the festivities.