Young Innovators Witness Inmarsat I-6 F2 Satellite Successfully Launch into Orbit
Two British teenagers, Simon Shemetilo, 16, and Craig Alexander, 14, gained exclusive access to a satellite launch at the Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida, after winning a Scouts competition that impressed astronaut Major Tim Peake. The pair were present on Saturday morning as the Inmarsat I-6 F2 satellite launched successfully into orbit.
Chosen from hundreds of entries, Simon and Craig were awarded this unique opportunity for their innovative ideas aimed at improving life on Earth through satellite technology. Major Peake, who serves as the Scouts’ Ambassador, selected the duo for their creativity and technical insight.
Simon, hailing from Tower Hamlets in east London, and Craig from Reading, expressed how witnessing the launch firsthand has inspired them to pursue careers in aerospace technology. “We got to the launch pad in pitch black darkness, and we waited,” Simon recounted. “Then suddenly a bright light, and it just felt like it was the dawn again. It’s completely silent for the first few seconds, and then you start to feel a thunder sensation and the building started to shake.”
Craig noted that they stood “the closest that you could be” to the launch site. In describing his competition entry, Craig explained his vision for harnessing solar energy: “I’m going to use solar panels on the satellites to capture solar energy from the sun and then beam that down to Earth.”
The competition asked participants how satellites could enhance life on Earth in the future. Simon proposed a network of satellites designed to reduce the environmental impact of data storage centres by enabling rapid communication among them for data processing.
Major Peake, who is retiring from his role as a European Space Agency astronaut, commended the boys for their inventive ideas. “Congratulations to Craig and Simon on what I am sure was a life-changing experience. A launch is always special, but this was particularly meaningful: It has been great to see Inmarsat and The Scouts come together to inspire the next generation about the immense possibilities for space technology.”
The Inmarsat satellite will now position itself 22,000 miles above the Equator, where it will contribute to enhanced global communication services.
