AlbaSat, a 2U CubeSat developed by the University of Padova, is set to launch with four unique scientific instruments. The mission aims to study space debris, micro-vibrations in orbit, and maintain precise orbital tracking.
CubeSats can be used in many different scenarios, and one of their most important uses is providing an easy path to understanding how to design, plan, and launch a mission. That was the idea behind AlbaSat, a 2U CubeSat currently under development by a team at the University of Padova with an impressive four different functional sensors packed into its tiny frame.
AlbaSat was initially developed as a student project at the University of Padova as part of ESA’s Fly Your Satellite (FYS) program, which, through its two iterations, has helped students get their CubeSat ideas off the ground – literally. AlbaSat was one of the more ambitious projects in the program, with four different key scientific objectives. First was a study of the prevalence of space debris, which is becoming a growing problem, as the team noted in their paper describing the mission’s feasibility when they discussed Kessler Syndrome. Tracking small debris floating in orbit is a challenge from the ground, but a satellite in orbit itself could do better. To do so, the team developed the Impact Sensor, which would detect debris hitting AlbaSat itself. It consists of a resistive sensing element placed on top of some PTFE, which was prototyped in a project called DRAGONS by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics.Credit – ESA YouTube Channel AlbaSat will also carry a tri-axial MEMS accelerometer to complement that instrument to detect any micro-vibrations the satellite experiences in its orbit. It is important to understand what impact, if any, those vibrations might have on either satellite performance or orbital decay. Another complementary payload is the laser rangefinder. This is intended to keep precise track of the satellite’s orbit by reflecting a laser from a ground station off of a series of “Corner Cube Retroreflectors” that can reflect the laser to the transmitting station
CUBESAT ALBASAT SPACE DEBRIS ORBITAL TRACKING MICRO-VIBRATIONS
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AlbaSat: A Small Satellite with Big Science GoalsAlbaSat, a 2U CubeSat developed by the University of Padova, is set to embark on a mission to study space debris, micro-vibrations, and orbital decay. The satellite packs four scientific sensors, including an impact sensor and a laser rangefinder, designed to collect valuable data.
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