AAUSAT-II

AAUSAT-II
AAUSat II, alongside its engineering model, ahead of launch
Mission type Technology
Operator AAU StudentSpace
COSPAR ID 2008-021F
SATCAT no. 32788
Website www.aausatii.aau.dk
Mission duration 6 months planned
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type 1U CubeSat
Manufacturer AAU StudentSpace
Launch mass 3.0 kilograms (6.6 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date 28 April 2008, 03:53:51 (2008-04-28UTC03:53:51Z) UTC[1]
Rocket PSLV-CA
Launch site Satish Dhawan SLP
Contractor ISRO
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Sun-synchronous
Perigee 604 kilometres (375 mi)
Apogee 622 kilometres (386 mi)
Inclination 97.72 degrees
Period 96.82 minutes
Epoch 21 January 2014, 18:39:39 UTC[2]

AAUSAT-II is the second student-built CubeSat built and operated by students from Aalborg University in Denmark. It was launched 28 April 2008 05:54 UTC from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in India on a PSLV rocket. AAUSAT-II carries a radiation sensor.

The educational objective

The primary purpose of construction of satellites at Aalborg University is to give the students engineering capabilities beyond what is normally achieved within a masters program.

History

Student satellite activities at Aalborg University (AAU) started in 2003 as a result of AAU's involvement in the first pure Danish research satellite, Ørsted, which was successfully launched in 1999.

AAUSAT-II's predecessor was AAU CubeSat which was constructed in the period 2001-2003 and was launched 30 June 2003.

The construction of AAUSAT-II began in 2005.

Operations

After launch April 28, 2008 AAUSAT-II beacon was received at Cal Poly University in California but two-way amateur radio communications could not be achieved as it turned out that AAUSAT-II was transmitting at a lower level than anticipated. After upgrades to the ground station were completed, fully functional two-way communication were achieved and continued with normal operations until May 2009 after a year of successful operation.

The ground station has remained in operation and beacons are received on a regular basis and AAUSAT-II is still considered operational - although heavy tumbling is observed (December 2009)

Beacons are still received on regular basis in March 2011. In addition AAUSAT-II does receive and acknowledge commands from ground and log files has been requested and received. Due to the very high tumbling (more than 2.5 Hz) it has not been possible to decode log files.

Below is a snapshot of the radio communication. On left side is a beacon, next a request for log is issued and AAUSAT-II reply with a transmission of the logfile. Notice the high tumbling rate.

Mission definition

AAUSAT-II consists of several sub-systems:

  • ADCS: Attitude Determination and Control System
  • CDH: Command and Datahandling System
  • COM: Communication System
  • EPS: Electrical Power System
  • GND: Ground Station
  • MCC: Mission Control Center
  • MECH: Mechanical System
  • OBC: On-board Computer System
  • P/L: Payload System

Technical Facts:

Dimensions 100 × 100 × 113 mm Cubesat standard
Mass 750 gram
Expected lifetime Minimum 1 month, extended until end of lifetime
Attitude determination system Sun sensors, gyro sensors, magnetometers
Attitude control system Momentum wheel and magnetic coils
Power Solar-cell panels located in satellite surface
Batteries Li-ion 8.2V 2200 mAh
Power bus 3.3 and 5V regulated

Amateur radio information

  • Callsign: OZ2CUB
  • Up/downlink: 437.425 MHz AFSK & FSK
  • Bit rate: 1200-9600 bit/s (1200 as standard mode)
  • AX.25 FM CW TLM

See also

References

  1. ↑ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "AAUSAT CUBESAT 2 Satellite details 2008-021F NORAD 32788". N2YO. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
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