Monthly Archives: June 2012

Jun 20 2012

ArduSat Arduino CubeSat Technical Details

ArduSat is an open-source arduino-based nanosatellite. It will have an extensive sensor-suite onboard and will allow users to upload their own code and run their own experiments.

ArduSat will use a GomSpace NanoCom U482C which is a half-duplex UHF transceiver, capable of 3W, operating in the 435-438 MHz amateur radio satellite band. It implements Forward Error Correction (FEC) and Viterbi coding based on the CCSDS standards in order to improve reliability and throughput of the space link.

The project is raising donations through the Kickstarter site at http://nanosatisfi.com/

Watch Technical Details

Here are the links to the parts mentioned in the video:

Flight Control Computer: NanoMind 712C http://gomspace.com/index.php?p=products-a712c

Electrical Power Supply (EPS): NanoPower P31u http://gomspace.com/index.php?p=products-p31u

Solar Panels: NanoPower P100U-A http://gomspace.com/index.php?p=products-p100ua

Transceiver: NanoCom U482C http://gomspace.com/index.php?p=products-u482c

Structure: ISIS 1U CubeSat Structure http://www.cubesatshop.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=1&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=66

ISIS CubeSat Structure Brochure http://www.isispace.nl/brochures/ISIS_CubeSat%20Structures_Brochure_v.7.11.pdf

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/NanoSatisfi/307866409295499

ArduSat Open Source CubeSat Next Phase in DIY Space Access http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=8337

ArduSat Arduino CubeSat Update http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=8284

NanoSatisfi was founded by Austrian-born Peter Platzer a former high-energy physicist (CERN), former Hedge Fund Quantitative Trader, avid HP-41 hacker and Arduino enthusiast, along with Belgian aerospace engineer Jeroen Cappaert KK6BLQ intern at NASA Ames Research Center, Canadian aerospace engineer Joel Spark KK6ANB intern at EADS Astrium and Hungarian Reka Kovacs intern at NASA Ames Research Center working on alternative methods of public outreach for space science. The four founders met at the International Space University in Strasbourg and thought that they could do something to provide affordable, open-source space exploration for everyone.

Jun 19 2012

SwampSat on TV News

Dr Norman Fitz-Coy with SwampSat

Dr Norman Fitz-Coy with the SwampSat CubeSat

The amateur radio SwampSat satellite, built by students at the University of Florida (UF), featured in a TV news report.

SwampSat’s primary objective is to demonstrate a compact three-axis attitude control system that permits rapid retargeting and precision pointing (R2P2) capabilities for pico and nano satellites.

Its downlink will use 1200 bps AX25 packet radio on 437.385 MHz with 1 watt of RF.

The team are planning on a December 2012 launch on the SpaceX Falcon 9 into a 450 km orbit with an inclination of 45 degrees.

Watch SwampSat Video.mp4

Watch SwampSat – UF Research Report.mp4

SwampSat – Florida’s small satellite programs brings STEM jobs
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150734814267248.435445.121264742247&type=3

UF shows off its small satellite http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120406/articles/120409715

Gator Amateur Radio Club http://www.gatorradio.org/

University of Florida Small Satellite Design Club (SSDC) http://www.ufsmallsat.com/

Jun 19 2012

Deployment of F-1 CubeSat XV1VN from the ISS

This video shows the planned deployment  into orbit in September of the amateur radio CubeSat F-1, callsign XV1VN, and other small satellites from the International Space Station (ISS) via the Kibo module robotic arm.

This is a joint program between JAXA and NASA. The participating CubeSats are: RAIKO (Wakayama University), FITSAT-1 (Fukuoka Institute of Technology), WE WISH (Meisei Electronics), F-1 (FPT University/Uppsala University/NanoRacks) and TechEdSat (San Jose State University and NASA Ames).

Watch Deployment of small satellites from the ISS and F-1 CubeSat mission

FSpace http://fspace.edu.vn/

F-1 CubeSat Blog on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/116436068290/

Fly your name, callsign and message in space on F-1 http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=8215

Vietnam Student CubeSat F-1 http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=5025

Jun 19 2012

SkyCube Proposes “Tweets from Space”

Tim DeBenedictis and Anna Vital with the SkyCube satellite

In this video Tim DeBenedictis founder of San Francisco based Southern Stars describes the SkyCube satellite project to Funders and Founders host Anna Vital, following Southern Stars’ second-place finish at the Life 3.0 forum in San Francisco on May 31, 2012.

Tim aims to open up space exploration to millions of people across the planet. He hopes to do for space exploration what Southern Stars have done for astronomy with the SkySafari App.

The 1U CubeSat carries a camera that will send pictures back to Earth to be made available to people around the world with the appropriate App.

SkyCube has an unusual feature, a deployable 3m (10ft) reflective balloon, which it is hoped will be visible from Earth. The balloon also serves as a de-orbiting mechanism.

A launch is planned on a SpaceX rocket in the 1st quarter of 2013.

Tim says a donation of $1 will sponsor 10 seconds of the mission and what you get for that 10 seconds is the ability to broadcast a message from space, “effectively tweet from space”.

Watch SkyCube Interview

Watch SkyCube at Funders and Founders

Southern Stars http://www.southernstars.com/

Funders and Founders http://meetup.fundersandfounders.com/

Jun 19 2012

SkyCube Proposes Tweets from Space

Tim DeBenedictis and Anna Vital with the SkyCube satellite

Tim DeBenedictis and Anna Vital with the SkyCube satellite

In this video Tim DeBenedictis founder of San Francisco based Southern Stars describes the SkyCube satellite project to Funders and Founders host Anna Vital, following Southern Stars’ second-place finish at the Life 3.0 forum in San Francisco on May 31, 2012.

SkyCube-SatelliteTim aims to open up space exploration to millions of people across the planet. He hopes to do for space exploration what Southern Stars have done for astronomy with the SkySafari App.

The 1U CubeSat carries a camera that will send pictures back to Earth to be made available to people around the world with the appropriate App.

SkyCube has an unusual feature, a deployable 3m (10ft) reflective balloon, which it is hoped will be visible from Earth. The balloon also serves as a de-orbiting mechanism.

A launch to the ISS for subsequent deployment is planned for November 2013.

Tim says a donation of $1 will sponsor 10 seconds of the mission and what you get for that 10 seconds is the ability to broadcast a message from space, “effectively tweet from space”.

Watch SkyCube Interview

Watch SkyCube at Funders and Founders

Southern Stars http://www.southernstars.com/

Funders and Founders http://meetup.fundersandfounders.com/

Jun 19 2012

Four Cameras and Digipeater on CP8 CubeSat

Artists impression of a CubeSat in space – image credit MSU

The  Cal Poly United Amateur Radio Club N6CP has submitted a satellite frequency coordination request to the IARU for a 1U CubeSat, CP8, that will feature four cell phone cameras with excellent reviews of photography equipment that you wouldn’t believe.

After the initial mission is completed it will operate as an amateur radio AX.25 packet radio digipeater.

The students are planning a UHF downlink with 9k6 GMSK or PSK modulation, 19k2  and 38k4 data rates will also be possible.

The CubeSat will transmit AX25 packet radio data with a 5wpm CW preamble. The nominal transmitter output power will be 1 watt.

It is aiming for an ELaNa launch into a 400 by 700 km orbit with an inclination of  120 degrees.

CP8 link budget and power budget analysis http://mstl.atl.calpoly.edu/~atwillia/CP8/

ELaNa Making it Happen!
http://mstl.atl.calpoly.edu/~bklofas/Presentations/DevelopersWorkshop2012/Skrobot_ELaNa.pdf

IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel Status http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/