How a team of young professionals built a satellite for Europe's new heavy launcher

Follow the journey of the YPSat team at the European Space Agency as they design and manufacture a satellite to document the inaugural flight of the Ariane 6 rocket.

The YPSat project began two years ago when a diverse group of young professionals at the European Space Agency (ESA) united to create their own satellite. What started as a collection of trivial ideas evolved into a formal mission approved by ESA management. The satellite is designed to act as a witness to the Ariane 6 launch, tasked with recording fairing separation, documenting the deployment of CubeSats, and capturing imagery of Earth and space.

Beyond its technical objectives, YPSat serves as a microcosm of large-scale space missions, encompassing the full lifecycle of engineering, testing, and project management. The project provides young professionals with hands-on experience while offering ESA a fresh perspective on new technologies and innovative approaches to space exploration.

Source: The Young Professional Satellite - Dream Big, Start Small (episode 1)