Foresail-1p is the replacement satellite for Foresail-1, developed by the Finnish Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Space. The satellite is being designed and built at Aalto University, with contributions from the University of Turku and the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
Foresail-1p will carry the same primary and secondary payloads as its predecessor. The Particle Telescope (PATE), developed by the University of Turku, will measure electrons and protons, focusing on their energies and pitch angles. It monitors electrons in the range of 80 to 1600 keV and protons in the range of 8 to 30 MeV.
The secondary payload, the Electrostatic Plasma Brake from the Finnish Meteorological Institute, is designed to lower the satellite’s orbit and facilitate its deorbiting at the end of the mission.
Foresail-1p will incorporate improvements based on lessons learned from the Foresail-1 mission. These upgrades include enhanced power systems and more robust error recovery mechanisms. The satellite’s flight model is currently being integrated at Aalto University’s space facilities, and the launch is planned for mid-2025.
Responsible Leader: Professor Jaan Praks (jaan.praks@aalto.fi)
Systems Engineer: Marius Anger (marius.anger@aalto.fi)
The Finnish science satellite Foresail-1p was successfully launched into space after 8 PM Finnish time on Friday 28 November 2025, aboard the Transporter-15 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
Aalto‑3 is Aalto University’s sixth satellite, a next‑generation student‑built 1U CubeSat. The mission lowers barriers to space tech through hands‑on training and a standardized framework for future student projects. Building on previous Aalto satellite projects, it advances avionics and validates an in‑house S‑band radio, GNSS, radiation measurements, and Earth imagery.
