Australia's back in the satellite game with a teeny tiny new launch

The first Australian-built satellites to be launched in 15 years are set to take off this week from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Unlike the enormous satellites Australia uses for telecommunications, each of these new satellites (or cubesats) is the size of a loaf of bread. But although small, they may provide a key step in enabling Australia’s entry into the global satellite market.

SEE ALSO: Here's who we think will fly to the moon with SpaceX

Three types of cubesats are the Australian contribution to the international QB50 mission, in which 36 satellites from different institutions around the world will carry instruments provided by the Von Karman Institute (VKI) to examine the lower thermosphere. This is a very interesting part of the atmosphere for several reasons, such as the way it disturbs GPS measurements. Read more...

More about Launch, Cubesats, Satellite, Space, and Australia