Cubesats: small is nice

Date: Tue, Apr 05, 2016 | 06:30 - 06:45 GMT | 08:30 - 08:45 CEST

Replay: Tue, Apr 05, 2016 | 15:00 - 15:15 GMT | 17:00 - 17:15 CEST

Type: ESA TV Exchange

Format: 16:9

CubeSats are nanosatellites of standardised dimensions, composed of one or more units that are 10x10x10cm in size and that have a mass between 1 and 10 kilograms.

To date, the vast majority of CubeSat activities belong to the category of radio amateur or university projects. Aware of their strong educational value, the ESA Education Office has undertaken several initiatives in the CubeSat domain, all involving teams of university students. Thus the next Soyuz mission - that will launch ESA Sentinel 1 B for Copernicus programme from Kourou on 22 April - will also embark, as auxiliary passengers, several Cubesats part of the “Fly Your Satellite!” ESA educational Programme.

This video shows the interest of the CubeSats employed for the In-Orbit Demonstration of miniaturised technologies and for small payload-driven missions.

Smaller in size and faster to develop than bigger classes of satellites, CubeSats offer students a true hands-on experience in designing, developing, testing, and operating a real spacecraft system and its ground segment.

More information at: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering_Technology/Technology_CubeSats

Preview and download:
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2016/02/Cubesats_Miniaturised_technology_in_space

Script:
EbSI-118669.docx

Satellite Parameters: Eutelsat 9A at 9 degrees E, transponder 59, downlink frequency 11900.1 horizontally polarised, symbol rate 27,500 FEC 2/3.