Europe’s new rocket will soon launch, bringing with it numerous space missions each with a unique goal, destination and home team cheering them on. Whether launching new satellites to look back and study Earth, peering into deep space, or testing important new technologies in orbit, the first flight of Ariane 6 will demonstrate the versatility and flexibility of this impressive heavy launcher. Read on to learn everything about 3Cat-4, then see who else flies first.
The 3Cat-4 CubeSat in its thermal vacuum test chamber. Image credit: ESA
3Cat-4 (pronounced “cube cat four”) is a 1 kg Earth observation CubeSat developed by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Spain and selected by ESA Education. “Pilot your satellite!” to carry out the first flight of Ariane 6.
As part of the program, experts carefully examined the 3Cat-4 design. They provided design and testing support to the mission team, including significant environmental testing at ESA Education’s CubeSat Support Center at ESEC-Galaxia, Belgium.
Furthermore, the nanosatellite was almost entirely developed by graduate and undergraduate students who designed, built and validated the vast majority of its components, conducted complex analyzes and planned and carried out test campaigns with specialized equipment. . For many students, the mission is at the heart of their course curriculum or their bachelor’s thesis.
“The primary goal of the mission is educational; train a group of students in the techniques and methodologies involved in piloting a space mission, while leading stimulating teamwork with a real sense of responsibility,” explains Alexander Kinnaird, ESA Engineering Coordinator for the Fly Your Satellite project! project.
“But 3Cat-4 also has several science and technology goals that we hope will demonstrate the great potential of CubeSats for innovative space technology, usually reserved for larger satellites. »
The mission’s main science experiment will measure several important climate variables using a technique called global navigation satellite system reflectometry (GNSS-R). GNSS-R involves measuring signals reflected from orbiting global navigation satellite systems, such as Galileo and GPS, that bounce off the Earth’s surface.
The many elements that make up 3Cat-4, including the flexible microwave payload, sixth panel from the left, which is the main piece of equipment on 3Cat-4 and will carry out all of the science experiments on board, and the 0.5 meter antenna stored in the final panel. Image credit: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
This “passive remote sensing” measures the difference between the signals directly received from navigation satellites in orbit and the signals from these same satellites reflected by the Earth. Using this data, ³Cat4 will be able to measure reflective surface properties and detect multiple types of weather phenomena, determine land topography and vegetation cover, and extract information about ocean data such as cover and the thickness of the ice.
In addition to its remote sensing capabilities, 3Cat-4 will carry an “L-band radiometer” – an instrument that detects radiation emitted in the frequency range of 1 to 2 GHz, making it possible to analyze soil moisture and ocean salinity . The CubeSat will also have an automatic identification system (AIS) allowing it to track ships along their intercontinental routes. It also includes a system for detecting and mitigating “radio frequency interference”, particularly important for microwave radiometric observations used for soil moisture measurements.
Antenna 3Cat-4. Credit image: Polytechnic University of Catalonia
Importantly, 3Cat-4 will demonstrate the feasibility and performance of its 0.5 meter spring antenna, the Nadir Antenna and Deployment System (NADS). Stored for launch, the antenna will take up very little space, allowing for future inclusion in even smaller CubeSats. Once in orbit, it will open up to make impressive observations, typically in the realm of larger missions, providing a powerful eye on Earth despite its portable size.
“3Cat-4 will demonstrate the ability of small CubeSats to provide a large Earth observation service, motivating not only the students involved but also the wider community,” says Lily Ha, ESA coordinator for Earth observation activities. university students.
Artist’s impression of Ariane 6 as it flies into space and releases its two thrusters approximately two minutes after liftoff. Image credit: ESA – D. Ducros
“Ariane 6 is the ideal rocket to launch on, perfectly meeting the technical and programmatic requirements of the mission but also offering great educational and promotional value. We are very happy to support the innovation of new European rockets, to be part of such a historic launch and to be forever associated with this flight.
The launch of Ariane 6 is scheduled for June-July 2024. It follows the immense success Ariane 5, the main European rocket for more than a quarter of a century, which made 117 flights between 1996 and 2023 from the port European space in French Guiana.
“Throughout the project, we saw several cohorts of brilliant students making the technology behind 3Cat-4 possible,” says Cristina Del Castillo Sancho, ESA’s engineering coordinator for university education.
3Cat4 student working on CubeSat. Image credit: ESA
“They dared to dream of this complex mission, and ESA Education and their university provided them with the necessary expertise and resources. When Ariane 6 takes off, this new generation of engineers will proudly observe how their satellite passes its final test – finally in space.
The 3Cat-4 mission team will be stationed in its control room at the Barcelona Operations Center in Spain for launch, from where it will command the satellite and receive its telemetry and science data via its Montsec ground station located in the Pyrenees, Spain.
“It is very gratifying to see our satellite finally ready for launch. It’s been an incredible journey for everyone involved, and it’s hard to overestimate the amount of knowledge gained during development,” concludes Luis Juan, 3Cat-4 team leader at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.
3Cat-4 team preparing for thermal vacuum test. Image credit: ESA
“Each milestone has been met with enthusiasm, from the first start-up of the entire assembled satellite, a month-long mission simulation, and critical vibration and thermal vacuum testing. With the support of the Fly Your Satellite! The team and all the experts who helped us carry out the mission verification are now confident that 3Cat-4 will successfully complete its journey into space.”
Source: European Space Agency
Originally published in The European Times.
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