Two more Canadian-built nanosatellites launched

Two Canadian-built nanosatellites have been launched from a facility in Yasny Russia as part of the BRITE Constellation, a constellation of satellites designed to examine a wide range of astrophysical phenomena. All six satellites were designed and built at the Space Flight Laboratory at the Univ of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS). The latest launch brings to five the number of BRITE satellites now in orbit with the final bird set for launch this August. The Canadian Space Agency provided $4.1 million for two of the satellites while the others were funded by Austria and Poland. The nanosatellites possess precise altitude control technology, are less than 15 cm wide and weigh less than seven kg, costing a fraction of much larger traditional satellites….