(Tsinghua News Center) The “Nano-satellite I” developed by the Tsinghua University and the Aerospace Tsinghua Satellite Technology Co blasted off atop a Long March rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan Province，and entered its orbit at 23:59 on April 18.

The satellite reached the sun’s orbit, about 596 kilometers from Earth, about twelve minutes and 30 seconds after it was launched.

About 10 hours later, its telemetric data transmitted by the satellite had been received, when the NS-1 firstly passed over the mornitoring region of Tsinghua Satellite Ground Station. In the following round of passing by NS-1, every devices of its fundamental system had been tested one by one and all the system parameters revealed to be as designed.

Experts from Tsinghua University and the Aerospace Tsinghua Satellite Technology Co are now uploading the satellite’s control software, developed by Tsinghua, from the Monitoring Center.

The 25-kilogram satellite, known as a “nano-satellite,” is China’s first satellite that weighs less than 30 kilograms, used a number of new micro-type of devices and designed in integated style. It will be used for data transmission, remote sensing photography, and surveying and mapping experiments.

This new type of satellite, developed from the technology of the small satellite launched in June 2000 by Tsinghua University, is known for its high quality, low cost, and the shorter amount of time needed for research and manufacturing.

Tsinghua President Gu Binglin and Chairman of the University Council Chen Xi sent a congratulatory letter to all the people working the launch.

Reported by Huang Ruixi

Photoed by Guo Haijun and Chen Pengxiang