> HYPE_
Our first mission—the smallest Polish satellite in history, that went to space. Created by students.
Our first mission—the smallest Polish satellite in history, that went to space. Created by students.
HYPE was our first mission—it went to space. These images were captured when it was in orbit.
First selfie from HYPE
Polandball selfie
Objective: To build and launch the smallest Polish satellite, prove in-house development from design to orbit, and combine outreach (space selfies) with scientific capability (NIR spectrometry).
HYPE was a 1p PocketQube satellite, developed and assembled entirely in-house by our team. It measured 5×5×5 cm—the smallest Polish satellite to date. Launched January 14, 2025, it was our first satellite to reach orbit. We lost contact with the satellite in March 2025; it was later determined to have been damaged by a strong geomagnetic storm.
The satellite carried two experimental payloads: a pioneering selfie-stick for Earth outreach, and a miniature NIR spectrometer for scientific observation.
The satellite's primary payload was a one-of-a-kind "selfie-stick", featuring a camera module mounted on a deployable boom. This camera faced a 240×240 LCD screen that displayed images uploaded by our team.
By showcasing those images in orbit, the team sought to inspire and amplify educational efforts that highlight the accessibility of space.
In addition to its photographic capabilities, HYPE carried a miniature near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer operating in the 640–1050 nm range.
This instrument would have enabled experimental, large-area mosaic spectrometry of the Earth's surface, for monitoring of:
HYPE was made entirely in-house by our team members. From PCB mainboard to software, everything was custom-made and no subsystems were sourced from external companies.