Transitions Online Dec 7, 2012
Latvia recently stole the lead in the Baltic space race, stating it would launch its first satellite into orbit early next year.
Dana Reizniece-Ozola, a member of the Latvian parliament, made the announcement last week shortly after Lithuania said it would launch its own satellite next summer.
“The Lithuanians announced their plans during a space industry conference, where, naturally, everyone wants to say something good about their own country,” Reizniece-Ozola told LETA. “Nevertheless, we are confident that we will be the first ones to launch our satellite into orbit.”
A previous plan called for the Latvian satellite, Venta-1, to be launched from a spaceport in India at the end of 2011, but arrangements are now being made for a launch with a Russian carrier rocket in the first months of 2013. The Lithuanians intend to launch their rocket, Lituanica-1, through a Japanese rocket headed for the international space station.
For more, including about Estonia’s EstCube-1 satellite, and video, go to TOL’s netprophet website:
http://netprophet.tol.org/2012... 