Yes On YES2… It Worked!

One of the projects closely watched by SatNews is the Second Young Engineers’ Satellite (YES2). Aboard a Foton-M3 orbital mission that launched via Soyuz rocket on September 14th from Baikonur, the satellite separated from the spacecraft on September 25th. The tether then deployed for 8.5 km due to a preprogrammed command cutting Fotino loose from the spacecraft itself. The Fotino headed for Earth — its orbit is being studied to determine where and when the capsule will land via its parachute. Although the full 30 km tether deployment did not occur, this innovative student mission demo’d how a tether can be used to deliver small payloads to Earth without the need of costly attitude control systems or rocket engines.




“We are very proud of the students’ work,” said Roger Walker, YES2 project manager for ESA’s Education Office, which oversaw the entire educational project. “The hard work of the YES2 team over the past five years has paid off with this largely successful demonstration.” The cost of this launch was via the Education Office and the Agency’s Directorate of Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration.




The YES2 payload piggybacked into space in the Foton-M3 atop the launch vehicle’s battery pack. If you would like to view a well-produced animation of this mission, head over to https://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMBBBC1S6F_research_1.html, the ESA’s website.