Tag Archives: Space

Jan 23 2013

Scottish Companies Head Into Space

Bright Ascension

Bright Ascension stand at the UK Space Agency CubeSat Community Workshop

Scotland seems to be taking advantage of the expanding satellite and space market with several new companies involved in CubeSat development.

Glasgow’s Clyde Space, who are developing the UK Space Agency’s first CubeSat UKube-1, has already established a global reputation and the new start-up Alba Orbital is also based in the city.

It can, however, be all too easy to think of satellites only in terms of hardware, in practice software can be the key part of any satellite.

Fife-based Bright Ascension Ltd develop both onboard and ground station CubeSat software and are currently involved in the UKube-1 project.

Bright Ascension Ltd http://www.brightascension.com/

Jan 22 2013

AMSAT-UK Attend UK Space Agency CubeSat Conference

Graham Shirville G3VZV on the AMSAT-UK Stand at the UKSA CubeSat Community Workshop

Graham Shirville G3VZV on the AMSAT-UK Stand at the UKSA CubeSat Community Workshop

AMSAT-UK attended the CubeSat Community Conference organized by the UK Space Agency (UKSA) which was held at the Open University.

Workshop sessions included:

• Update on UKube-1

• Plans for UKube-2

• Fostering a stronger and wider UK CubeSat Community
Identifying potential user groups who would benefit from using cubesat data (e.g. commercial applications such as utilities companies, telecoms, and government departments etc), and how to engage with them more effectively [note that the National Space Conference in July 2013 in Glasgow could consider hosting a session to facilitate this process]

• Overcoming Obstacles
Common obstacles associated with launching cubesats and how to clarify/streamline them: availability, cost, export controls, applicability of the Outer Space Act, licences, radio frequency allocation, issue of cubesats as space debris

• Developing Education/Outreach Benefits for the UK with the UKube X Program
STEM outreach and school education benefits and how to take this forward with a UKube X programme, including options for Harwell/other involvement to underpin academic/amateur missions with strong research/outreach/education benefits

• Accelerating Disruptive Technologies
Identifying key technology developments with implications for economic growth and possible sources of external co-funding. Defining a UKube x roadmap to tie in with the NSTP roadmaps. Possibilities for synergies and collaborations with international partners

Jan 14 2013

Alba Orbital make Shell top 10

CubeSat_ModelGlasgow based Alba Orbital, who aim to use CubeSats for Space Burials, have got through to the national round of a major start-up competition.

They now need your help to go one better and win £1000 for their Space Start-up.

There is a 1 minute elevator pitch video on the Shell Livewire site describes their plans for the company.

You can vote for Alba Orbital at http://www.shell-livewire.org/awards/grand-ideas-awards

Alba Orbital believe Space is important and more start-up satellite companies should be succeeding!

Thanks for your support,

Tom Walkinshaw
Founder, Alba Orbital

Shell LiveWIRE Grand Ideas Awards http://www.shell-livewire.org/awards/grand-ideas-awards

BBC Radio Scotland interview with Tom Walkinshaw of Alba Orbital
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft6i_7FSdko

Alba Orbital use the MAKlab Studio in Glasgow, for manufacturing their prototype satellites http://www.maklab.co.uk/

Alba Orbital http://www.albaorbital.com/

Jan 8 2013

UKube-1 CubeSat Featured in SatMagazine

SatMagazine January 2013The January issue of the free publication SatMagazine features an article on the UK Space Agency’s first satellite UKube-1. It will carry an amateur radio subsystem and a launch on a Soyuz rocket is planned for the 3rd quarter of 2013.

The article on page 6 includes a picture of Steve Greenland of Clyde Space taking delivery of a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube boards which will provide a 435/145 MHz linear transponder and a 145.915 MHz BPSK telemetry beacon for educational outreach.

Starting on page 24 is an article ‘Truly Educational Experiences… With Nanosats’ covering the University Nanosat program.

Download the January 2013 SatMagazine from http://www.satmagazine.com/2013/SM_Jan2013.pdf

Ukube-1 – Milton Keynes Cubesat Community Workshop January 22 http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=11782

Clyde Space http://www.clyde-space.com/

Jan 1 2013

Nanosat Launch Concept

Did you ever wonder how Nanosatellites are being launched ?
Well, Meidad Pariente has edited a video produced by the Aalto-1 team that explains how such a task is performed.

Both the edited and original videos are shown.

Aalto-1 is a student CubeSat project of Aalto University, Finland that plans to operate at VHF-UHF and there will also be an S-band transmitter. Up to 8 watts of power will be available from the Solar panels.

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Dec 30 2012

N0D Dooms Day Press Release

N0D, the Special Event Station for the End of the World, succeeded in making 142 contacts via the amateur radio satellites.

Houston, Texas December 27, 2012: The N0D team had a very successful operation celebrating the Mayan Calendar End of the World which some expected would occur on Dec 21, 2012. In celebration, experienced satellite operators Allen Mattis, N5AFV, and Andy MacAllister, W5ACM, operated special event station N0D on the available satellite passes from December 15th, 2012, through December 22nd, 2012.

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