On Wednesday September 17th a large group of space devotees and space fans gathered at the Swedish Space Corporation in Solna to christen the Prisma satellites. From their previous prosaic titles "Main" and "Target" the two satellites were given the names ...well, read on and you will find out!

On September 17th representatives of Swedish and foreign Space Organizations, the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications and other interested parties gathered in the Swedish Space Corporation premises in Solna for the christening party for the Prisma satellites. The Swedish Space Corporation had announced a competition in order to give the two satellites real names.
 
“Up until now the Prisma satellites have been known by their working titles "Main" and "Target",” said Anna Rathsman, Head of Information at the Swedish Space Corporation. “Really imaginative ... so we announced a competition and received more than 50 suggestions!”

 It takes two to ...
Sitting on the jury that selected the names were the CEO of the Swedish Space Corporation Lars Persson, Anna Rathsman herself, the Prisma project leader Staffan Persson, as well as the Swedish Space Board’s Head of Information Johan Marcopoulos.
 
“The jury naturally did not have any information about who had submitted the name suggestions,” Anna Rathsman pointed out.
 
During the ceremonial event, which involved champagne and a lot of applause, Anna Rathsman announced that the names for "Main" and "Target" that had stuck out for the jury were "Mango" and "Tango".

"It rhymes, rolls off the tongue and suits a double partnership. In addition, it will be easier for those of us accustomed to using "Main" and "Target" to remember which is which ...” 
 
The name suggestion came from one of the Swedish Space Corporation’s employees, Björn Jakobsson. Sven Grahn, the Swedish Space Corporation’s now retired, but still highly active patriarch, related that Björn Jakobsson had previously had a number of other strings to his bow apart from building satellites. Amongst other things Björn Jakobsson can boast of a third place in slalom at the Junior European Championships in 1977 in Kranjska Gora.
 
Tests in France await
There was intensive activity underway in the Swedish Space Corporation’s clean-room, which the visitors could have a look at. During the christening party technicians from the Swedish Space Corporation and the German space organization DLR were testing the GPS-based navigation system, which DLR is responsible for on the Prisma satellites. The reason for the urgency is that the newly christened Mango and Tango will travel to the Intespace test facilities in Toulouse in France on October 24th in order to undergo a series of environment tests.
There the satellites will be shaken, exposed to electrical and electromagnetic tests and to simulated solar radiation. All in order to mimic as accurately as possible the stresses during the launch and the mission itself and to ensure that the different components in the satellites don’t interfere with each other.
 
Paving the way for commercial opportunities
Per Tegnér, the Swedish Space Board’s General Director and the commissioner of the satellite project, explained the ideas behind Prisma.
 
”Previous Swedish satellites have been driven by scientific requirements. Prisma on the other hand is a technology showcase, which is pretty unique. The technologies in many cases are absolutely cutting edge and with Prisma they have the opportunity to be tested in the environment that they will be used in.” 
 
Per Tegnér pointed out that in a branch that is as conservative as the space industry it is difficult for new technologies to be able to get their first flight.
 
”The goal is therefore for Prisma to create commercial opportunities. Hopefully the result will be that the Swedish Space Corporation in the future will not be as dependant on orders from Level 7,” Per Tegnér concluded, alluding to the floor in the same building housing the Swedish Space Board.
 
Prisma has already opened doors
This hope is already a good way to being fulfilled.
 
“We have had a bite even before the satellites have been launched,” said a happy Lars Persson, CEO for the Swedish Space Corporation.
He was alluding to the contract that the Swedish Space Corporation’s subsidiary company ECAPS has just signed with the American Space firms Moog and Alliant Techsystems for selling the new ECAPS propulsion system on the American market.
 
“The contract for ECAPS is obviously due to Prisma,” stated the Swedish Space Board’s sales manager Svante Stenbom. “On the whole it is not possible to overestimate the importance of Prisma for the Swedish Space Corporation.”
 
It would seem that there is hope for a bright future for the newly christened.

Kim Bergström
September 2008