Everything is ready for the launch of the Cubesat ALPHA! Launch scheduled for July 13th at 13:13 Italian time

July 11, 2022

On July 13, at 13:13 Italian time, VEGA-C will leave the Kourou launch pad for the first time, inserting the ALPHA cubesat, into the predetermined orbit along with LARES-2, the main payload, and 5 other science cubesats.

ALPHA is a collaborative mission made by 4 italian innovative start-ups of which H4RESEARCH has contributed significantly, developing the heart of the spacecraft: the EPS (Electrical power system). Main goals are to perform scientific experiments to deepen the knowledge of our Solar System, and to demonstrate innovative technologies to enhance the quality of life on Earth.

The mission will take place in a Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), at approximately 15 times the altitude of the International Space Station (ISS). At this altitude, 6.000 km circa, ALPHA will be in an extremely harsh radiative environment, called the inner Van Allen belt, where the Earth’s magnetic field traps harmful solar wind and cosmic rays radiations.

The launch will be an opportunity to test and validate the H4RESEARCH technology. The EPS that equips ALPHA has been made with rad-hard by design logics, which will allow the cubesat to withstand the extreme conditions to which it will be subjected once it reaches the inner Van Allen belt.