Asian Surveying & Mapping
Breaking News
Australia and UK tie up for navigation without GNSS
Airborne navigation without GNSS is the aim of a...
Market size, technical gaps threaten Taiwan’s space dream
As global players like SpaceX dominate headlines, Taiwan is...
China quietly tested its first inflatable space module in orbit
BREMEN, Germany — China tested out a small expandable...
Isro Signs Agreement with Australian Space Agency for Gaganyaan Mission
Isro Signs Agreement with Australian Space Agency for Gaganyaan...
ESA and Japan expand collaboration in space exploration
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace...
Korea’s space development to hit wall without private sector initiative
The private sector should take the initiative in South...
India’s Chandrayaan-2 moon orbiter avoids collision with South Korea’s Danuri spacecraft
India's Chandrayaan-2 moon orbiter maneuvered in September to avoid...
Dubai residents may soon have opportunity to travel to the edge of space
Residents of Dubai may soon have the chance to...
Swift Navigation and KDDI Launch Skylark Precise Positioning Service Across Japan
SAN FRANCISCO and TOKYO - Swift Navigation, a global...
Thailand plays host to Southeast Asia’s largest space technology event
Thailand Space Week 2024, the region’s premier international space...

March 9th, 2020
Successful launch for Airbus’ Bartolomeo

Cape Canaveral, 09 March 2020 – The Airbus built Bartolomeo platform has been successfully launched on 06 March from Cape Canaveral, Florida, US. Bartolomeo is now on its journey to the International Space Station (ISS) and will be installed outside of the Columbus Laboratory, the European module of the ISS built by Airbus.

Andreas Hammer, Airbus’ Head of Space Exploration said: “This unique platform will offer new and affordable Earth observation applications and give companies and research institutions the unique opportunity to explore their project quickly and easily in space.”

Bartolomeo – named after Christopher Columbus’ younger brother – is funded by Airbus and will be operated with the support of the European Space Agency (ESA). The platform can host up to 12 different payload slots, providing them with a power supply and data transmission back to Earth.

Not only does this provide opportunities for Earth observation, but also environmental and climate research, robotics, material sciences, astrophysics or to test new technologies in space, paving the way for their commercialisation. The platform’s unique vantage point 400 kilometres above the Earth offers unobstructed views of our planet enabling the hosting of external payload in low-Earth-orbit.

Launch opportunities are available on every servicing mission to the ISS which is around every 3 months. The payload accommodation allows slots for a wide range of payload mass going from 5 to 450 kg. They will be provided with optical data downlink capacity of one to two Terabytes per day.

In just 12 months any payload can be prepared and ready to operate. Payload sizes, interfaces, preparation before launch and integration process are largely standardised. This reduces lead times and saves costs significantly compared to traditional mission costs.

Bartolomeo is an all-in-one mission service that pioneers sustainable space for a safe and united world.

 

About Airbus

Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2019, it generated revenues of € 70 billion and employed a workforce of around 135,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide