Calendar

Stanza Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/sxz-cctp-tsc

Speaker:  Marcell Tessenyi (BSS Italia)

Titolo: Mauve and Twinkle: UV and infrared satellites delivered through a new model

Abstract:

Mauve and Twinkle are part of a new family of satellites from Blue Skies Space that use the latest commercial space industry developments to deliver scientific missions on vastly accelerated timescales, setting a new pace for science discovery.

Mauve is a low-Earth orbit (LEO) small satellite containing a UV spectrometer and a 15cm class telescope. It is designed to monitor the activity of nearby stars, with a particular focus on M-dwarfs that might host habitable zone planets. The construction begins this year with partners C3S and ISISpace, for a planned launch in early 2024. Twinkle is a larger LEO satellite carrying a 0.45m telescope and an infrared spectrometer with a simultaneous wavelength coverage from 0.5 to 4.5μm. It is designed to detect the composition of atmospheres of exoplanets orbiting bright stars, as well as solar system objects such as comets and asteroids. The satellite, expected to launch in late 2024, is based on a high-heritage platform from Airbus and an instrument by ABB Canada. Both satellites will provide scientific data highly complementary to existing and upcoming exoplanet related space and ground-based observatories, including NASA/ESA/CSA’s James Webb Space Telescope and ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope.

Blue Skies Space is able to deliver Mauve and Twinkle thanks to the substantial transformations currently on-going in the space sector in Europe and beyond. Blue Skies Space Italia S.R.L. was set up this year to leverage the capabilities and expertise of the Italian science and technology community and help coordinate European science, technology and funding activities.