ERMINAZ-2 Satellites in Orbit
October 2, 2026SpaceX Rocket Successfully Launched Bochum’s Satellites into Space
The tension inside the radome at the Bochum Observatory rose noticeably yesterday (October 1, 2026) shortly after 8 p.m.; the team watched the live broadcast on the big screen. There was great relief when the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifted off from Vandenberg in California after a slight delay. On board: three small satellites developed and built in Bochum: With the PocketQubes ERMINAZ-2U, ERMINAZ-2V, and ERMINAZ-2X from the space organization “AMSAT-Deutschland,” or AMSAT-DL for short, satellites from Bochum have reached orbit for the first time. They were developed, built, and certified for spaceflight at the satellite laboratory located in the radome of the Bochum Observatory.
The Next Level
With the successful launch, the first major hurdle has been cleared. Now comes the next “level”: The satellites—each about five centimeters in size and weighing approximately 250 grams—will travel aboard the Spanish orbital vehicle OSSIE-D from UARX Space using a so-called PicoBus deployment system. Peter Gülzow, chairman of AMSAT-DL and ERMINAZ project manager, comments: “UARX’s OSSIE-D acts as a kind of space taxi that transports smaller satellites and deploys them precisely into their target orbits. While the space taxi successfully separated from the launch vehicle about an hour after liftoff, it may still take days or even weeks before the ‘passengers from Bochum’ are deployed into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 500 kilometers. As soon as the antennas and solar panels are activated, they will transmit telemetry, radio signals, and other mission data to Earth. Small directional antennas are sufficient for reception; only licensed amateur radio operators are permitted to transmit. The satellite ground station, built specifically for this purpose at the Bochum Observatory, is also ready and eagerly awaiting its deployment.”
From the first satellite to the first satellites in Bochum
Thilo Elsner, director of the Bochum Observatory and vice president of AMSAT-DL, is also delighted and proud: “At the very location where the first satellite, Sputnik 1, was received 69 years ago, the first satellites to make their way into space from Bochum have now also been built. Working together as part of ESERO Germany—the ESA’s education office—AMSAT-DL, Ruhr University, the University of Applied Sciences, and the Bochum Observatory are creating hands-on opportunities to engage with satellite technology and amateur radio. This strengthens Bochum and North Rhine-Westphalia as a hub for space exploration, research, and education.”
Background Information
It all began in late 2022 with a successful proposal in the DLR Microlauncher Payload Competition for a ride on Rocket Factory Augsburg’s RFA ONE rocket. When the launch of that rocket was delayed, a collaboration with Libre Space from Greece opened up a second opportunity. As a result, the three ERMINAZ-2 satellites were launched even before ERMINAZ-1. All six PocketQubes were developed and funded by AMSAT-DL—and built by members of the space organization at its headquarters in Bochum.
Founded in Marburg in 1973, the nonprofit AMSAT-DL is one of Germany’s longest-standing noncommercial and nongovernmental space organizations. “AMSAT” stands for Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. For more than 50 years, the association has been developing, building, and operating amateur radio satellites and scientific payloads on a volunteer basis. AMSAT-DL has been based in Bochum since 2017; its collaboration with the observatory dates back to 1997 and includes, among other things, the recommissioning of the 20-meter antenna in the radome of the Bochum Observatory, known as “Kap Kaminski.”
Bochum, October 2, 2026
Peter Gülzow, President of AMSAT-DL
Thilo Elsner, Director of the Bochum Observatory and Vice President of AMSAT-DL
