An innovative mission, developed with contributions from Slovenian companies and scientists, will use a network of small satellites for scientific experiments.
A constellation of six mini satellites, the Hermes Pathfinder, launched from California, is monitoring the sky for astronomical events like gamma-ray bursts. Developed with contributions from the University of Nova Gorica and two Slovenian companies, SkyLabs, and Aalta lab, this innovative mission uses a network of small satellites for scientific experiments, offering a cost-effective approach to space observation. The Italian Space Agency (ASI) provided primary funding, with additional support from the international community.
The University of Nova Gorica provided expertise on gamma-ray bursts and algorithms, Aalta lab developed signal latency algorithms, and SkyLabs created the satellite avionics system. This project demonstrates the potential of small, modular satellite platforms for astronomical and other scientific research.
