Minisat 01

Last updated


Minisat 01
Parche mision Minisat 01.png
Minisat 01 mission patch
Operator INTA
COSPAR ID 1997-018A OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
SATCAT no. 24779 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Mission duration5 years
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass195 kg
Start of mission
Rocket Pegasus-XL
Payload
EURD, CPLM, LEGRI, ETRV
 

The Minisat 01 was a satellite developed in Spain as a means to kickstart its space program. The project started in 1990 and was funded by both the Inter-Ministerial Committee of Space Science and Technology (CICYT) and the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA) who was also responsible for the project's management. After some feasibility studies, the satellite entered the design phase in 1993. The main objectives of the program were to develop a technology demonstrator to test and develop the nation's capabilities to produce and manage spacecraft. To this end, INTA teamed up with private enterprises and universities to acquire funds and resources. Nonetheless, emphasis was also put on keeping the costs to a minimum and to ensure affordability. [1]

Contents

The initial program was supposed to involve at least four minisatellites (Minisat 1 to 4) but only Minisat 01 was put into orbit. A second design, the Minisat 02, was developed and tested in 2001 but the mission was canceled and the satellite was scrapped by 2002. [2]

Mission

The Minisat 01 was conceived to perform Earth observation on a low orbit in addition to four different scientific experiments: [3]

An alternative payload was devised but not implemented consisting on four additional experiments: GOYA (Gamma-ray burst Observer Yearned-Always), SIXE (Spanish Italian X-ray Experiment), DOPA, XRASE. These experiments would be later projected for the Minisat 02 before the whole project was scrapped. [4]

Body

The satellite was built between CASA, who was in charge of developing the platform, and INTA, who mainly devised the different payload and experiment implementation. A great degree of emphasis was put on keeping cost down so the construction was modular (able to allocate up to 300 kg of payload), small (about 1145 mm x 1005 mm x 1170 mm) and projected to have a service life of 4 to 5 years. The body ended up weighing 195 kg (100 kg structure and 95 kg of payload) and was shaped like a hexagonal prism with the experiments attacked to the top and bottom faces while the sides mounted 4 deployable AsGa solar panels (550 mm x 800 mm in size) capable each to fully provide the power needed to run the satellite (about 50 W). [5]

The core contained a NiCd battery and the onboard central computing and processing unit (a modified Intel 80386 microprocessor) with 32 Mb of RAM, 512 kb of EEPROM, 2.4 MIPS of throughput, 32 MB of data storage and multiple redundant cores. A bus connection links the microprocessor to the experiments capable of providing point-to-point interfaces while managing the control subsystem. This was divided in two basic units: the thermal and the kinetic units. The first consisted of insulator coating around the body with both, internal and external, thermistors to measure temperature and active internal heaters around experiments and battery to keep the temperature within operational ranges. The kinetic unit ensured the Minisat 01 maintained a favorable position to maximize sunlight incidence on the solar panels in addition to stabilize the spacecraft on its 3 axis. This unit consisted on a combination of 3 torque rods placed orthogonally to each other and a reaction wheel in the spin plane. Data of the current position of the body was provided by two perpendicularly put Sun sensors and two biaxial magnetometers which, working in cooperation, could provide accurate information on the satellite's position up to ±3º of error. [6]

Communication with Earth was maintained using bidirectional RF transmitters operating on the S-band with a downlink speed of 1 Mbit/s and an uplink speed of 2 kbit/s.

Launch

The S/C was launched from an American Lockheed L-1011-385-1-15 TriStar registered N140SC [7] with a Pegasus-XL rocket from Gando Air Base in the Canary Islands 21 April 1997. [8] It was successfully put on a near-circular close orbit of 585 km of apoapsis and 566 km of periapsis with and inclination of 151º (29º retrograde) and an orbital period of 96 minutes. [9]

The mission included the launch of the cremated remains of Gene Roddenberry, [10] Timothy Leary, Gerard K. O'Neill along with those of 21 other people. [11] [12]

After 5 years of successful operation, the satellite reentered the atmosphere on 14 February 2002.

During its whole service life it was operated by INTA, who monitored the satellite from the Maspalomas Station (15º 37' 45" W, 27º 45' 49" N). [13]

Experiments

EURD

Spectral lines of Hydrogen were Lyman-alpha series is observable to the left. Hydrogen spectrum.svg
Spectral lines of Hydrogen were Lyman-alpha series is observable to the left.

Being the result of the joint efforts of INTA and the University of California, Berkeley, this device was to conduct spectrographic observations of diffuse EUV radiation in the interstellar medium to examine the Mesosphere's composition. The focus of these observations were oxygen lines and high energy (above 10 eV), high mean life (above 1024 s) neutrinos whose presence may be indicative of dark matter.

To achieve that, the device employed two independent spectrometers equipped with modulable spectral band (between 350 and 1100 Å). This allowed to compare and filter the readings obtained to minimize systematic errors caused by the ionizing nature of EUV, thus, ensuring a higher degree of precision. Each spectrometer was about 40x40x13 cm in size and 11 kg in weight with acute grating (8 cm of diameter, 18 cm of focal length with holographically ruled 2460 lines/mm and made of silicon/boron carbide) to protect the measuring instruments. Under the grating, the Multi-Channel Plate (MCP) detectors with wedge and strip encoding are allocated, facing the exterior through a lens which provides them with 26º x 8º FOV and four possible positions. These were: open (transmitting all wavelength), shielded (blocks all emission and allows for internal radiation readings), magnesium fluoride filter (which allows to measure Lyman-alpha spectral series), and aluminum filter (which blocks most of the Lyman radiation while letting EUV through).

The device was placed at one end of the satellite, facing an anti-sun direction and it was operated continuously during the satellite's life. [14]

CPLM

Developed by the Technical University of Madrid the CPLM was experimentation module created to study the behavior of fluids when allocated inside axis-symmetric bridges under conditions of microgravity. It consisted of a test cell containing the fluid bridges embedded between several optical detectors, which were capable of measuring changes in position and shape of the fluid, and a command unit. This unit was itself built with a motor, able to change the direction of the bridges and to reset the experiment, and an accelerometer which measured the forces acting on the test fluid. The module was allocated inside a cylindrical container which also held the power supply, several temperature and pressure sensors, and a back-up memory card.

During its operational run, the liquid bridge would be oriented perpendicular to the z-axis (Sun-to-satellite direction) and activated for 5 minutes once a week. As a result, the satellite would spin ±0.375 rpm longitudinally as a direct consequence from the accelerations applied at the CPLM. [15]

LEGRI

Fermi gamma telescope which is similar to the LEGRI. Fermi gamma telescope LAT Cal1 lg.jpg
Fermi gamma telescope which is similar to the LEGRI.

The LEGRI was developed by an international composed by INTA, the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), the University of Valencia, and the University of Birmingham. The main objective was to build a prototype gamma-ray telescope capable of detecting low energy radiation (between 10 and 200 keV) produced by the dispersion of gamma radiation emitted by celestial bodies such as black holes, binary stars or neutron stars.

The device was to incorporate some cutting-edge technology for its time, such as HgI2 emerging detectors developed by the Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas y Medioambientales (CIEMAT) capable of providing accurate readings on the operating energy range and a high degree of thermal resistance and a very good efficiency-weight ratio. Originally, 100 such detectors were to form the LEGRI sensing sub-unit but the experimental nature of this technology made INTA choose to mix an array of 80 HgI2 20, more conventional and reliable CdZnTe detectors. This decision also allowed them to directly compare their performance when working on a 0 g environment and sharing FEE and background noise fluxes. Besides the sensing sub-unit, LEGRI incorporated a filtering unit made of a mechanical collimator supported on a honeycomb tungsten plate which is allocated in front of the detectors, a high voltage power supply needed to feed the device, and a processing unit which manages data and provides continuous attitude readings on the satellite to ease image reconstruction while avoiding signal noise. [16]

ETRV

Developed by CASA, the ETRV was a speed regulation mechanism capable of deploying various devices such as solar panels, antennas, and proves. It consisted of an electrical motor connected a torsion spring mounted over a gearbox capable of regulating motion and providing a certain degree of stability. To simulate payloads, a small flywheel was added to the end of a deploying arm directly connected to the gearbox. To ensure the correct positioning of the movable arm an electromagnetic Reed switch would measure momentum, gyro angle, and rate of the arm providing real-time corrections for the system and allowing a maximum deployment speed of 180º in about 3 minutes.

The time control during the different phases of deployment was ensured by a pyrotechnic nut, responsible for maintaining the system's integrity until the firing of a pyro-kintetic charge which would signal the conditions were met to begin the whole placement process. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pioneer P-31</span> 1960 US lunar probe attempt

Pioneer P-31 was intended to be a lunar orbiter probe, but the mission failed shortly after launch. The objectives were to place a highly instrumented probe in lunar orbit, to investigate the environment between the Earth and Moon, and to develop technology for controlling and maneuvering spacecraft from Earth. It was equipped to take images of the lunar surface with a television-like system, estimate the Moon's mass and topography of the poles, record the distribution and velocity of micrometeorites, and study radiation, magnetic fields, and low frequency electromagnetic waves in space. A midcourse propulsion system and injection rocket would have been the first United States self-contained propulsion system capable of operation many months after launch at great distances from Earth and the first U.S. tests of maneuvering a satellite in space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brazilian Space Agency</span> Brazilian Space Agency

The Brazilian Space Agency is the civilian authority in Brazil responsible for the country's space program. It operates a spaceport at Alcântara, and a rocket launch site at Barreira do Inferno. It is the largest and most prominent space agency in Latin America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compton Gamma Ray Observatory</span> NASA space observatory designed to detect X-rays and gamma rays (1991–2000)

The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) was a space observatory detecting photons with energies from 20 keV to 30 GeV, in Earth orbit from 1991 to 2000. The observatory featured four main telescopes in one spacecraft, covering X-rays and gamma rays, including various specialized sub-instruments and detectors. Following 14 years of effort, the observatory was launched from Space Shuttle Atlantis during STS-37 on April 5, 1991, and operated until its deorbit on June 4, 2000. It was deployed in low Earth orbit at 450 km (280 mi) to avoid the Van Allen radiation belt. It was the heaviest astrophysical payload ever flown at that time at 16,300 kilograms (35,900 lb).

SCISAT-1 is a Canadian satellite designed to make observations of the Earth's atmosphere. Its main instruments are an optical Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, the ACE-FTS Instrument, and an ultraviolet spectrophotometer, MAESTRO. These devices record spectra of the Sun, as sunlight passes through the Earth's atmosphere, making analyses of the chemical elements of the atmosphere possible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">INTEGRAL</span> European space telescope for observing gamma rays

The INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) is a space telescope for observing gamma rays of energies up to 8 MeV. It was launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) into Earth orbit in 2002, and is designed to provide imaging and spectroscopy of cosmic sources. In the MeV energy range, it is the most sensitive gamma ray observatory in space. It is sensitive to higher energy photons than X-ray instruments such as NuSTAR, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, XMM-Newton, and lower than other gamma-ray instruments such Fermi and HESS.

The Low Energy Gamma-Ray Imager (LEGRI) was a payload for the first mission of the Spanish MINISAT platform, and active from 1997 to 2002. The objective of LEGRI was to demonstrate the viability of HgI2 detectors for space astronomy, providing imaging and spectroscopical capabilities in the 10-100 KeV range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Institute for Aerospace Technology</span> Research agency in of Spain

The National Institute for Aerospace Technology "Esteban Terradas" is an autonomous agency of the Spanish public administration dependent on the Secretariat of State for Defence (SEDEF). It is responsible for the aerospace, aeronautics, hydrodynamics, and defense and security technologies research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GSAT-2</span>

GSAT-2 was an experimental communication satellite built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and launched on one of the first GSLVs. The satellite was positioned at 48 deg east longitude in the geo-stationary orbit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">X-ray telescope</span> Telescope designed to observe remote objects by detecting X-rays

An X-ray telescope (XRT) is a telescope that is designed to observe remote objects in the X-ray spectrum. X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, so instruments to detect X-rays must be taken to high altitude by balloons, sounding rockets, and satellites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer</span> NASA satellite of the Explorer program

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer was a NASA space telescope for ultraviolet astronomy. EUVE was a part of NASA's Explorer spacecraft series. Launched on 7 June 1992. With instruments for ultraviolet (UV) radiation between wavelengths of 7 and 76 nm, the EUVE was the first satellite mission especially for the short-wave ultraviolet range. The satellite compiled an all-sky survey of 801 astronomical targets before being decommissioned on 31 January 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nanosat-1B</span> Spanish research and communications satellite

The Nanosat-1B Spanish satellite, designed, developed and operated by the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), is a nanosatellite which weighs 22 kg. Its main mission is the communication between remote sites like the Antarctic, the Hespérides warship and Spain. The Nanosat-1B has fourteen sides, all of them covered by solar cells but the bottom one where the following antennas are installed: a medium gain Ultra high frequency (UHF) four wire antenna and two patch antennas. On the top side there are four UHF monopoles. The solar sensors and the Vectorsol experiment are located in the middle tray, being all the other equipment and experiments located inside the satellite.

The EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) is an adapter for launching secondary payloads on orbital launch vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capricornio (rocket)</span> Spanish orbital launch vehicle

Capricornio was a Spanish satellite launch vehicle developed by the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA) in the 1990s. It was intended to be Spain's first launcher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intasat</span>

INTASAT was the first satellite of Spain. It was designed by Spain's National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EuCROPIS</span>

Eu:CROPIS was a life science satellite developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and intended to investigate the possibility of growing plants in different levels of gravity, such as that of the Moon and Mars, as a sustainable food source using human urine for moisture and as the source of fixed nitrogen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nanosat 01</span>

The Nanosat 01, sometimes written as NanoSat-1 or NanoSat 01, was an artificial satellite developed by the Spanish Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA) and launched 18 December 2004. Considered a nano satellite for its weight of less than 20 kg, its main mission was forwarding communications between far reaching points of the Earth such as Juan Carlos I Antarctic Base from mainland Spain. This was possible due to its polar orbit and altitude of 650 km above sea level. During an operational run the data obtained in the Antarctic would be uploaded to the satellite during its fly by and then, downloaded in Spain when satellite reached the Iberian Peninsula.

The INTA-100 vehicle was a small 2-stage meteorological sounding rocket designed and developed between the 1980s and the 1990s by the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA). The final design was entirely produced in Spain to be used by the Instituto Nacional de Meteorología in conducting experiments on the atmosphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OPTOS</span> Spanish nanosatellite

OPTOS was a Spanish nanosatellite designed and developed by INTA with support from the European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSS) as a low-cost technology demonstrator. It was launched in 2013 and had a service life of three years.

The Lume-1 is a Spanish nanosatellite developed for educational and scientific purposes by the University of Vigo in cooperation with Alén Space, the University of Porto and the French National Centre of Scientific Research. The satellite is part of the Fire-RS program in order to battle wildfires.

References

  1. ↑ M. A. Garcia Primo, "Spanish MINISAT Program – Objectives and Operational Results," Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Small Satellites Systems and Services, 14–18 Sept. 1998, Antibes Juan les Pins, France
  2. ↑ "MINISAT-01 – eoPortal Directory – Satellite Missions". directory.eoportal.org. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  3. ↑ "The MINISAT Project". Image Processing Laboratory. 2010.
  4. ↑ "Minisat 01". space.skyrocket.de. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  5. ↑ D. Garcia-Asensio, M. Perez-Ayucar, M. A. Serrano, "MINISAT 01, Concept and Evolution in the Operations of a Successful Small Mission," Proceedings of the 18th International Symposium on Space Flight Dynamics (ESA SP-548), Munich, Germany, 11–15 Oct. 2004
  6. ↑ Giménez, Álvaro. Science with Minisat 01: Proceedings of the Workshop held in Madrid 26–28 April 1999. Dordrecht; Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001.
  7. ↑ "Minisat-01. El primer satélite español". GranCanariaSpotters (in European Spanish). 26 August 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  8. ↑ "El lanzamiento del satélite Minisat 01 desde Gran Canaria cumple 16 años". www.laprovincia.es. 21 April 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  9. ↑ "INTERDIC Articulo. Minisat". www.interdic.net. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  10. ↑ "Launching the Great Bird". Star Trek Monthly. 1 (27): 5. May 1997.
  11. ↑ "The Founders Flight". Celestis. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  12. ↑ Seligmann, Jean (5 May 1997). "Ashes Away". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  13. ↑ Pascual (5 October 2016). "Minisat 01". EsasCosas (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  14. ↑ Morales, Carmen; Trapero, Joaquín; Gómez, Jose F.; Orozco, Verónica; Giménez, Álvaro; Bowyer, Stuart; Edelstein, Jerry; Korpela, Eric; Lampton, Michael; Cobb, Jeff (2001). "EURD: The Mission and the Stellar Absolute Fluxes OFB-type Stars" (PDF). Astrophysics and Space Science. 276: 141–150. doi:10.1023/A:1011661323989 – via Kluwer Academic Publishers.
  15. ↑ Sanz-Andrés, Rodríguez-De-Francisco, Santiago-Prowald, Ángel , Pablo, Julián (2001). "The Experiment CPLM (Comportamiento De Puentes Líquidos En Microgravedad) On Board MINISAT-01". Astrophysics and Space Science. 276 (1): 97–121. Bibcode:2001Ap&SS.276...97S. doi:10.1023/A:1012011903516.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ↑ Suso, Julia; Blay, Pere; Almudena, Robert; Reglero, Victor; Eyles, Chris J. (2001). "LEGRI instrument health. A historical review". Astrophysics and Space Science. 276 (1): 299–309. Bibcode:2001Ap&SS.276..299S. doi:10.1023/A:1011614921688.
  17. ↑ jdelaciencia (21 April 2015). "El Minisat, satélite 100% español". Juan de la Ciencia (in European Spanish). Retrieved 8 May 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.