SwissCube-1

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SwissCube-1
Mission typeAtmospheric
Technology
OperatorEPFL
COSPAR ID2009-051B Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.35932
Websiteswisscube.epfl.ch
Mission duration3-12 months planned
84+ months achieved[1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type1U CubeSat
Launch mass1 kilogram (2.2 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date23 September 2009, 06:21 (2009-09-23UTC06:21Z) UTC
Rocket
ISRO
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeSun-synchronous
Perigee altitude710 kilometres (440 mi)[2]
Apogee altitude722 kilometres (449 mi)[2]
Inclination98.39 degrees[2]
Period98.97 minutes[2]
Epoch24 January 2015, 04:38:10 UTC[2]
 

SwissCube-1 is a Swiss satellite operated by École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). The spacecraft is a single unit CubeSat, which was designed to conduct research into nightglow within the Earth's atmosphere, and to develop technology for future spacecraft.[3] It has also been used for amateur radio. It was the first Swiss satellite to be launched.[4]

History

The first airglow image of the satellite.

SwissCube-1 was launched by the

Rubin 9.1 and Rubin 9.2.[7][8]

SwissCube-1 is operating in a

inclination to the equator. It has an orbital period
of 98.5 minutes.

Its mission was expected to last between three and twelve months.[7] The mission was extended an additional 18 months in February 2010 and an additional ground command facility was added.[10] It took its first picture on 18 February 2011 and its first airglow picture on 3 March 2011.[11]

On 2 December 2011, EPFL ended the SwissCube project and turned over control of the satellite to amateur radio operators.[12] As of October 2023 SwissCube is still operational, after fourteen years in space.[13]

In anticipation of its future "debris" status in light of the slowly degrading lithium-ion batteries, the

Clean Space One project was launched in 2012 to provide a spacecraft able to catch SwissCube-1 and remove it from orbit in the 2020 horizon.[14] Following a successful tender for European Space Agency funding, the Clean Space One project was redirected towards another target.[15]

Software architecture

  • System documentation [16]
  • The COM (communication), PL (payload), ADCS (attitude and orientation), and EPS (energy) subsystems all have a MSP430F1611 microcontroller
  • The CDMS (on board computer) has an ATMEL ARM AT91M55800A

These microcontrollers used two

I2C buses
to communicate : one main bus (all subsystems) and one fallback bus (only EPS and COM). The cubesat had 4 operation modes : recovery (not enough power to work), safe (minimum subsystems running), and two standard modes (all subsystems are working nominally).

See also

References

  1. ^ "SwissCube » Live Tracking". Space Center EPFL - SwissCube. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  2. ^ a b c d e "SWISSCUBE Satellite details 2009-051B NORAD 35932". N2YO. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  3. ^ "Project Objectives" (PDF). SwissCube. EPFL. May 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Switzerland Launches First Satellite" (PDF). EATOPS. 5 October 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  5. ^ Wade, Mark. "PSLV CA". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  6. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  7. ^ a b Krebs, Gunter. "SwissCube". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  8. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Rubin 9". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  9. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  10. ^ "Centres de contrôles déportés, un exemple de travail collaboratif pour la mission SwissCube" (PDF). EATOPS. 14 February 2010.
  11. ^ Pousaz, Lionel (2011-03-25). Le satellite Swisscube délivre ses premiers clichés (Report). Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  12. ^ "SwissCube update". AMSAT-UK. 2011-12-03. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  13. ^ "SwissCube » Live Tracking » Mission data". Space Center EPFL - SwissCube. 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  14. ^ "Clean Space One press releases". EPFL Engineering Space Center (eSpace) - Clean Space One. 2015-07-06. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  15. ^ Rainbow, Jason (19 January 2023). "ClearSpace raises $29 million ahead of first debris removal mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  16. ^ "SwissCube-1 documentation". Retrieved November 30, 2022.

External links

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