Three years since the launch of the Czech satellite VZLUSAT-1 to orbit – the satellite is still deli23/6/2020|Press releasesThe Czech satellite VZLUSAT-1 has been in orbit for three years already where it has been successfully checking the abilities of systems used in space. It has been therefore in service three time longer than what is the average service life of CubeSat-type satellites where VZLUSAT-1 belongs. By the end of 2020, its VZLUSAT-2 successor will be launched on the Falcon 9 shuttle of SpaceX from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Also in this case, the satellite will come from the plants of the Research and Testing Institute in Prague. The satellite was launched on the Indian PSLV rocket (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) from the Šríharikota spaceport and was installed on the polar orbit at a height of 505 km. Due to the friction of residual atmosphere, its height has already decreased by about 10 km during the three years since the launch to orbit. It was launched as part of international mission QB50 along with other CubeSats from different countries. The VZLUSAT-1 satellite was launched to orbit on 23 June 2017. It is a CubeSat satellite (very small satellites with standardised dimensions – a cube with a side of 10 cm is their base frame) of size 2U (i.e. 10x10x20 cm) and a weight of 2 kg, developed and produced by a consortium of nine businesses and academic sites under the management of the Research and Testing Institute in Prague. The Research and Testing Institute in Prague is already preparing VZLUSAT-2, the successor of VZLUSAT-1, that shall be launched by the end of this year on the Falcon 9 shuttle of SpaceX from Cape Canaveral in Florida. VZLUSAT-1 also carries several scientific devices that send measurement data down to Earth where a Pilsen-based terrestrial station is receiving them. They involve a miniature X-ray magnifier glass, testing of materials for space radiation shielding and a device for measuring oxygen concentration in the atmosphere. The satellite is orbiting the Earth at about 495 km and is primarily used as the so-called technological demonstrator. It is therefore checking how materials, components and other systems can handle the hostile environment outside the Earth's atmosphere. The average service life of CubeSats is 1.1 years. But the three years during which VZLUSAT-1 has been in service in orbit demonstrate that Czech technologies are now well tested in space. Czech products in space Even though Czech satellites have so far been rather rare, we can now find more and more of them in space. It is primarily thanks to our membership in the European Space Agency ESA why advanced materials, electronic, mechanical and optical components, scientific devices, aviation software and other products from the Czech Republic are now finding use in space. And the Czech space industry is active on Earth as well – it runs simulations and provides testing and equipment for terrestrial stations and satellite data processing. Find more information on the VZLUSAT-1 satellite and data for signal reception from satellites for radio-amateurs at www.vzlusat1.cz.