Brandon’s Satellite , What’s It For?

[Aircooledfool]

I know there was a previous thread about the launch, but I have been trying to find out what the purpose of the satellite actually is. Can’t unearth any info. Does any one know? There are vague refs to”communications” here and there on the internet, but comms for whom and what ? Does anyone know.

[Aircooledfool]

Spell checker again !!!
I mean Bransons satellite

[drmorgans]

It's actually a deployment system. A modified 747 took the rocket to around 30,000 feet release the rocket, which fired. All seemed to be going well then ... "anomaly". The system was deploying 9 satellites for various companies.

[drmorgans]

"release" should be "then released"

[nero2024]

it was a test run
"The purpose of the flight was to gather data on every step of the launch process rather than to have a useful satellite in orbit; the demonstration payload was described as an inert mass and the intended orbit was very low to avoid contributing to the problem of space junk"
from the web

[nero2024]

sorry wrong answer
The rocket was carrying nine small satellites meant for UK defence monitoring, while others were for businesses such as those working in navigational technology.

[douglas9401]

"The satellites were insured so their manufacturers and operators will be compensated"

Does one insure inert masses?

[douglas9401]

Ah.

[Khandro]

One of the satellites was to monitor illegal fishing in British waters, pity it failed really. Maybe next launch will be successful.

[Aircooledfool]

Well at least I now know there were 9 satellites, I thought it was just the one as part of some launch system test run
“Defence monitoring” is still a bit vague, but perhaps necessarily so. Perhaps it is a good thing that the UK has its own capability to do this , thank you for all your answers

[Canary42]

Don't they realise Virgin never goes "all the way".

[Aircooledfool]

Canary, Actually I have only just caught up with “anomaly” failure to launch thing , or should that be “pulling out at the last moment” thanks for letting me know

[Aircooledfool]

I would have been more impressed if virgin had deployed some kind of space grabber thing to hoover up all the space junk up there, if aliens were to arrive in orbit to check on us , they would find the car park full!!

[drmorgans]

Perhaps they did and went off to look for a more conducive planet.

[klazomaniac]

IOD-3 AMBER (aka IOD-3) – Developed by Satellite Applications Catapult and Horizon Technologies and built by AAC Clyde Space, all based in the UK. IOD-3 Amber is expected to be the first of more than 20 Amber satellites to provide space-based Maritime Domain Awareness data to users.

Prometheus-2 –Two cubesats owned by the Ministry of Defence’s 'Defence Science & Technology Laboratory'. These satellites will support MOD science and technology activities both in orbit and on the ground.

CIRCE (Coordinated Ionospheric Reconstruction CubeSat Experiment) – CIRCE is part of a joint mission between the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and the U.S Naval Research Laboratory.

DOVER – Developed by RHEA Group in the UK, it is the company’s first satellite in its 30-year history. The satellite is being co-funded through the European Space Agency’s Navigation Program and built by Open Cosmos. DOVER is a SmallSat that was created as a pathfinder for resilient global navigation satellite systems.

ForgeStar-0 – Is the first ever satellite designed and built in Wales. The ForgeStar-0 satellite has been designed by Cardiff-based startup Space Forge, which is creating the world's first returnable and reusable satellite platform to harness the power of microgravity and potentially transform manufacturing.

AMAN – Oman’s first orbital mission, it is a single earth observation satellite meant to demonstrate the future feasibility of a larger constellation and was developed after a memorandum of understanding among the Sultanate of Oman, Polish Small Satellite manufacturer and operator SatRev, Poland-originated AI data analytics specialists TUATARA, and Omani-based merging technology innovator ETCO.

STORK-6 – Stork-6 is the next instalment of Polish Small Satellite manufacturer and operator SatRev’s STORK constellation. Virgin Orbit previously launched two spacecraft in this constellation on a previous launch.


https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2023-01-09/live-updates-as-uks-first-rocket-launch-to-take-off

[Aircooledfool]

When it comes to discussions on ufos aliens etc , perhaps is always the operative word!

[Aircooledfool]

Thanks to klazomaniac, at least intelligent life still exists here on planet Earth, and thanks for all other answers , humorous or otherwise