On 22 April at 13.05 Kyiv time automatic space ferry vehicle “Cygnus CRS OA-7” of Orbital ATK Company that was launched by carrier rocket “Atlas V” into space on 18 April reached International Space Station (ISS). Thus, 28 research nano-satellites that were launched into ISS in terms of “QB50” and among them nano-satellite of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv polytechnic institute “PolyTAN – 2 – SAU” covered first stage of they space journey.
Next one will start after entering each of them into intended near-earth orbit. Nano-satellite of Kyiv polytechnic is expected to enter into autonomous flight as one of twenty space vehicles of “QB50” mission over the next few weeks.
The photo of ferry vehicle “Cygnus CRS OA-7” approaching to the capture point by “the hand” of robotized complex “Canadarm2” at a distance of 10 kilometers from ISS (photo NASA TV).