HYPE
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 An image of HYPE prototype near completion | |
| Mission type | Technology demonstration |
|---|---|
| Operator | AGH University of Krakow |
| COSPAR ID | 2025-009CG |
| SATCAT no. | 62687 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | PocketQube |
| Manufacturer | SatLab AGH |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 14 January 2025, 19:09:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg SCL-4 |
| Contractor | SpaceX Transporter-12 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Regime | LEO |
| Apogee altitude | 525 kilometres (326 mi) |
HYPE is the first Polish PocketQube picosatellite developed by students at the AGH University of Krakow. Designed to showcase a custom 1P (5x5x5 cm) platform with a "selfie-stick" to image a 240x240 px LCD screen on the satellite's surface and a VIS-NIR miniature spectrometer. At the time of its launch onboard the Falcon 9 Transporter-12 it was the smallest Polish satellite.
The name of the satellite - HYPE - was chosen by the students due to their enthusiasm for the project and to show that space is in reach for everyone.[1] The satellite is part of a proof-of-concept activity to promote the expansion of AGH's building capabilities and to expand various AGH laboratories with ground infrastructure to allow further space missions advancement on campus.[2]
The development of the HYPE project started in 2023 by the SatLab AGH student research group in cooperation with the AGH Space Technology Centre. A dedicated Satellite Assembly Laboratory and Mission Control Room were arranged. A special parabolic antenna with a meteorological system was installed on AGH premises to facilitate communication with HYPE as well as with future satellites planned by the group.[3]
In 2024, after the completion of preliminary components tests, the first HYPE prototype was assembled. Both the calibration of satellite instruments and the environmental tests (vibration, shock, thermal) were performed. The communication test was conducted using a stratospheric balloon that reached an altitude of 37 km AGL. The final work on HYPE satellite was completed in July 2024. The spacecraft was transported from AGH laboratories to Alba Orbital HQ to integrate it with the deployment device.
The team behind HYPE has already started a larger 2U (20x10x10 cm) Cubesat satellite project to include a 4-band push-broom multispectral camera, a high-resolution RGB camera and an experimental laser communication module among other payloads.