NanoAvionics

NanoAvionics UAB - an aerospace engineering company founded as a spin-off from Vilnius University, Lithuania in 2014. Founders of the company consist of the members of the first successful Lithuanian CubeSat project LituanicaSAT-1 which was one of two first European CubeSats launched from International Space Station.[1] The company specializes on integrated CubeSats and Small Satellites solutions for commercial and scientific missions: mission design, hardware assembly, integration and verification, testing campaigns, standardized products (highly integrated Communication, On-board Computer, Attitude Determination and Control Systems, Solar panels, Structural elements), modular chemical propulsion systems.[2]

Implemented missions

LituanicaSAT-1 - one of the two first Lithuanian satellites launched from the Wallops flight facility by Antares rocket, with the International Space Station (ISS) resupply cargo ship Cygnus 2 in January, 2014.

LituanicaSAT-2 - the second mission of NanoAvionics intended for EU project "QB50" led by the Von Karman Institute (VKI) for fluid dynamics (Belgium), under the European Commission’s research and innovation program FP7 (2007-2013).[3] LituanicaSAT-2 was developed by NanoAvionics under the contract with Vilnius University.[4] LituanicaSAT-2 is consisting of three main modules: a science unit with the FIPEX (Flux-Φ-Probe Experiment) sensor for "QB50", a functional unit with NanoAvionics Command and Service module plus power unit and an experimental unit with the “green” propulsion system.[4]

R&D activity

NanoAvionics UAB has been awarded a grant from EC under research and innovation program "Horizon2020" for project "Enabling Chemical Propulsion System for the Growing Small Satellite Market".[5] The purpose of this project is to carry out a feasibility study for proposed propulsion system market potential and develop a business model for product development. Suggested new propulsion system is important for small satellite market suggesting green chemical propulsion system which makes use of an environmentally friendly propellant, and is a low cost integral plug and play design offering great economic advantages to the growing small satellite market, which presently suffers from the unavailability of a low cost, high performance propulsion solution.[5] It is expected that the new technology will improve the precision and prolong the orbit lifetime of a satellite up to 5x: from 3–4 months up till 15-18.[6]

NanoAvionics UAB together with the National Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC), Lithuania, is also carrying out a project on innovative catalytic materials for miniaturized monopropellant thruster systems.[7]

Similar companies

  • GomSpace - a space company situated in Denmark, founded in 2007 as spin-off from Aalborg University.[8] Company provides various CubeSat components as well as full mission solutions.
  • Clyde Space - a space company situated in United Kingdom, founded in 2005 as a privately owned company.[9] Today Clyde Space is a supplier of CubeSat and small-satellite systems.
  • Tyvak - USA supplier of NanoSat and CubeSat space vehicle products and services that target government and commercial customers to support operationally and scientifically relevant missions. Company headquarters are located in Europe, Italy.
  • Innovative Solutions In Space (ISIS) - a space company founded in Netherlands in 2006 by four members of the Delft University of Technology.[10] The company specializes in the miniaturization of satellite systems with a particular emphasis on the design and development of subsystems for micro- and nanosatellites.

References

  1. ↑ "NanoAvionics | CrunchBase". www.crunchbase.com. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  2. ↑ "StartupLithuania.lt". Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  3. ↑ "LituanicaSAT-2 | NanoAvionics". n-avionics.com. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  4. 1 2 "LituanicaSAT 2 (QB50 LT01)". space.skyrocket.de. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  5. 1 2 "European Commission : CORDIS : Projects & Results Service : Enabling Chemical Propulsion System for the Growing Small Satellite Market". cordis.europa.eu. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  6. ↑ "Can you launch a satellite with €193 000? Lithuanian startups can! | ArcticStartup". ArcticStartup. 2015-10-16. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  7. ↑ "ICAT | NanoAvionics". n-avionics.com. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  8. ↑ "GOMX-1 - Satellite Missions - eoPortal Directory". directory.eoportal.org. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
  9. ↑ Magan, Veronica (2016-08-17). "Clyde Space CEO: No Slowdown in CubeSat Demand on the Horizon - Via Satellite -". Retrieved 2016-09-14.
  10. ↑ "Spotlight | Innovative Solutions in Space BV - SpaceNews.com". 2014-09-22. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
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