Lem (satellite)
| Mission type | Astronomy |
|---|---|
| Operator | Centrum Astronomiczne im. Mikołaja Kopernika PAN |
| COSPAR ID | 2013-066R |
| SATCAT no. | 39431 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | GNB |
| Manufacturer | Space Research Centre |
| Launch mass | 7 kilograms (15 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 21 November 2013, 07:10:11 UTC |
| Rocket | Dnepr |
| Launch site | LC-13, Yasny |
| Contractor | ISC Kosmotras |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
Lem (also called BRITE-PL) is the first Polish governmental artificial satellite. It was launched in November 2013 as part of the Bright-star Target Explorer (BRITE) programme. The spacecraft was launched aboard a Dnepr rocket. Named after the Polish science fiction writer Stanisław Lem, it is an optical astronomy spacecraft built by the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences and operated by Centrum Astronomiczne im. Mikołaja Kopernika PAN; one of two Polish contributions to the BRITE constellation along with the Heweliusz satellite.