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Edinburgh, 13 January 2022. – SpaceX is to launch the Transporter-3 rideshare mission later today, with Brazilian newspace startup, Pion Labs’ PION-BR1 satellite on board, Pion announced.
PION-BR1 is a pocketqube satellite measuring only 5x5x5 cm, the smallest Brazilian satellite developed to date. It is the first satellite entirely developed by a Brazilian company without any public investment and the first of a Brazilian startup to be launched by SpaceX.
The satellite will be a technological demonstrator for accessible, secure and reliable IoT (Internet of Things) communications via a pocketqube constellation. PION-BR1 will also act as a beacon for amateur radio operations.
The PION-BR1 mission aims to support classroom and STEM activities as well. It will therefore evaluate the attitude and temperature of the pocketqube’s space environment and collect other data for experiment purposes.
