AAUSAT-II
Encyclopedia
| Organization | AAU StudentSpace |
|---|---|
| Mission Type | Test of Radiation Sensor |
| Launch | 03:53 UTC, 28. April, 2008 on PSLV C9 |
| Launch site | Satish Dhawan Space Centre Satish Dhawan Space Centre The Satish Dhawan Space Centre is the launch centre for the Indian Space Research Organisation . It is located in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, north of Chennai in South India. It was originally called Sriharikota High Altitude Range , and was sometime known as Sriharikota Launching Range... |
| Mission duration | 6 month predicted |
| NSSDC_ID | 2008-021F |
| NORAD ID | 32788 |
| Webpage | aausatii.aau.dk |
 AAUSAT-II on the ground. |
|
AAUSAT-II is the second student-built CubeSat
CubeSat
A CubeSat is a type of miniaturized satellite for space research that usually has a volume of exactly one liter , has a mass of no more than 1.33 kilograms, and typically uses commercial off-the-shelf electronics components...
built and operated by students from Aalborg University
University of Aalborg
Aalborg University is located in Aalborg, Denmark. With its opening in 1974 it became the fifth university in Denmark. In 1995 Esbjerg Engineering College was integrated in the university followed by the creation of the School of Architecture & Design in 1996, the inauguration of the Copenhagen...
in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. It was launched 28 April 2008 05:54 UTC from Satish Dhawan Space Centre
Satish Dhawan Space Centre
The Satish Dhawan Space Centre is the launch centre for the Indian Space Research Organisation . It is located in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, north of Chennai in South India. It was originally called Sriharikota High Altitude Range , and was sometime known as Sriharikota Launching Range...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
on a PSLV rocket. AAUSAT-II carries a radiation
Radiation
In physics, radiation is a process in which energetic particles or energetic waves travel through a medium or space. There are two distinct types of radiation; ionizing and non-ionizing...
sensor.
The educational objective
The primary purpose of construction of satellites at Aalborg UniversityUniversity of Aalborg
Aalborg University is located in Aalborg, Denmark. With its opening in 1974 it became the fifth university in Denmark. In 1995 Esbjerg Engineering College was integrated in the university followed by the creation of the School of Architecture & Design in 1996, the inauguration of the Copenhagen...
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
AAU CubeSat
AAU CubeSat was a CubeSat built and operated by students from Aalborg University in Denmark. AAU CubeSat was launched on 30 June 2003 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on a Russian "Rockot" rocket....
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 UniversityCalifornia Polytechnic State University
California Polytechnic State University, or Cal Poly, is a public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, United States. The university is one of two polytechnic campuses in the 23-member California State University system....
in California but two-way communication
Two-way communication
Two-way communication - uses communication to negotiate with the public, resolve conflict, and promote mutual understanding and respect between the organization and its public. Two-Way Communication in Public Relations...
s 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 2.5Hz) 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 CubeSat A CubeSat is a type of miniaturized satellite for space research that usually has a volume of exactly one liter , has a mass of no more than 1.33 kilograms, and typically uses commercial off-the-shelf electronics components... standard |
| Mass | 750 gram |
| Expected lifetime | Minimum 1 month, extended until end of lifetime |
| Attitude determination system | Sun sensors, gyro sensors, magnetometer Magnetometer A magnetometer is a measuring instrument used to measure the strength or direction of a magnetic field either produced in the laboratory or existing in nature... s |
| Attitude control system | Momentum wheel Momentum wheel A reaction wheel is a type of flywheel used primarily by spacecraft for attitude control without using fuel for rockets or other reaction devices.... and magnetic coils |
| Power | Solar-cell panels located in satellite surface |
| Batteries | Li-ion 8.2V 2200 mAh |
| Power bus |
HAM information
- Callsign: OZ2CUB
- Up/downlink: 437.425 MHz AFSK & FSK
- Bit rate: 1200-9600 bit/s (1200 as standard mode)
- AX.25AX.25AX.25 is a data link layer protocol derived from the X.25 protocol suite and designed for use by amateur radio operators. It is used extensively on amateur packet radio networks....
FM CW TLM