THE DELFI-N3XT NANOSATELLITE: SPACE WEATHER RESEARCH AND QUALIFICATION OF MICROTECHNOLOGY

Le résumé fourni par la source

The Delfi-C3 nanosatellite successor, Delfi-n3Xt, is currently under development at Delft University of Technology and scheduled for launch in the first half of 2010. This improved three-unit CubeSat platform allows novel technology qualification for future small satellites and innovative scientific research. The platform is improved by implementing a high-speed downlink, three-axis stabilization and a single-point-failure free implementation of batteries in the electrical power subsystem. Apart from giving a description of the three main advancements, this paper also gives an overview of the five payloads: A microsystems technology based cool gas micropropulsion module, a multifunctional particle spectrometer, a set of hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells, an efficient transceiver module for nanosatellites, and a memory unit based on low-cost commercial grade ash memory cards with innovative radiation protection electronics. Although the accommodation of the five payloads in a nanosatellite of only (10 x 10 x 34) cm is ambitious, this paper shows feasibility and proves that nanosatellites are powerful instruments for the qualification of novel technology and innovative scientific research.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.