A plaque to commemorate the British Interplanetary Society‘s 80th anniversary will go to space on a Surrey Satellite Technology spacecraft later this year. Here is a recent press release from Reaction Engines Ltd, which sponsored the making of the plaque:
The British Interplanetary Society Delivers a Plaque to SSTL
for Flight on UK’s TechDemoSat-1
Guildford, Tuesday 5th March 2013
TechDemoSat-1 whose launch arrangements were announced today by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) will be carrying a plaque commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the founding of the British Interplanetary Society (BIS). The Plaque will be mounted on TechDemoSat-1 and then carried into orbit.
Plaque handover; on left Doug Liddle and Luis Gomes of SSTLand on the right Gerry Webb of CST and BIS.
The Plaque was handed over to Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) last month in a ceremony conducted by BIS Council Member Gerry Webb, and Luis Gomes of the SSTL TechDemoSat-1 team who are building the satellite.
Gerry Webb is General Director of Commercial Space Technologies Limited who are the brokers for the launch of SSTL TechDemoSat-1 with the Russian Space Agency. Roscosmos. He arranged for the Plaque to be carried with both SSTL and Roscosmos.
The President of the British Interplanetary Society, Alistair Scott said, “This is a fantastic way of celebrating our 80th year and reminding people of the work we have done since the early 1930s to promote spaceflight and the exploration and use of space. We are so grateful to Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd and the TechDemoSat-1 Team for allowing us to fly with them”
Sir Martin Sweeting, Executive Chairman of SSTL commented “I am delighted that SSTL is able to offer this opportunity to BIS, an organisation which has done so much to promote and foster the UK’s interest in space”. TechDemoSat-1 is a truly British spacecraft, designed and manufactured here and flying British payloads, so it is a fitting vehicle for this commemorative plaque.”
Mark Hempsell (REL) hands over the BIS 80th Anniversaryplaques for their journey to the ISS.
The plaque is identical to the two plaques that will be carried to the International Space Station in April 2013. It is a 4cm diameter disk, 3mm deep and made of high grade aluminium alloy. Weighing less than 5g each it is precision machined to depict the Society’s 80th Anniversary Logo. It was sponsored by Reaction Engines Limited, and was made by the company’s precision machining division, Brite Precision.