GhanaSat-1
| Names | Bird GG ANUSAT-1 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Technology demonstration Earth observation |
| Operator | All Nations University |
| COSPAR ID | 1998-067MV |
| SATCAT no. | 42821 |
| Mission duration | Planned: 14 months Elapsed: 83 months, 26 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | 1U CubeSat |
| Launch mass | 1 kg (2.2 lb) |
| Dimensions | 10 cm (4 in) cubed |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 3 June 2017, 21:07:38 UTC[1] |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 FT, CRS-11 |
| Launch site | Kennedy LC-39A |
| Contractor | SpaceX |
| Entered service | 7 July 2017, 08:51 UTC |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Semi-major axis | 6,778.8 km (4,212.2 mi) |
| Eccentricity | 0.0004315 |
| Perigee altitude | 397.8 km (247.2 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 403.6 km (250.8 mi) |
| Inclination | 51.64° |
| Period | 92.57 minutes |
| Epoch | 9 August 2017, 03:04:24 UTC[2] |
GhanaSat-1 is the first Ghanaian satellite to be launched into space.[3] It was designed and built in two years in conjunction with the Kyushu Institute of Technology's Birds-1 program, which has the goal of helping countries build their first satellite.
The satellite can take images, collect atmospheric data, measure space radiation, and transmit uploaded audio. GhanaSat-1 was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on a Falcon 9 rocket. It was released into space from the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer on the ISS on 7 July 2017 and is being used to monitor environmental activities along Ghana's coastline.
Background
Japan supports non-spacefaring countries in building their first satellite through the Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds satellite program, sponsored by Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT), which is a cross-border interdisciplinary satellite project for non-spacefaring countries. Four guest countries participated in the first Birds program: Ghana, Mongolia, Nigeria, and Bangladesh. GhanaSat-1 was the first Ghanaian satellite launched into space.[4]
Design
Development
GhanaSat-1 was assembled and tested by three students at All Nations University.[5] The five 1U CubeSats, four built by the guest countries and one by KIT, were all identical in their design.[6] The two-year period spanning the development, construction, launch and operation of the satellites engaged three university students from each of the five participating countries.[7] The satellite cost about US$500,000 to manufacture and launch.[8]
GhanaSat-1 is a small satellite, weighing around 1 kilogram (2.2 lb).[5] Power is generated from solar cells and stored in batteries.[4] The satellite is cube shaped and measures 10 centimetres (4 in) on each side.[9] The satellite carries low- and high-resolution cameras that will be used to take pictures of Ghana and monitor the country's coastline. It will also broadcast the national anthem of Ghana. The satellite has the ability to receive requested songs from the ground and play them in space.[5] Finally, the satellite will be used to measure the effects of radiation in space on commercial microprocessors.[5]
GhanaSat-1 was given to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on 9 February 2017, and was then transferred to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on 12 February.[5] The GhanaSat-1 Birds designation is Birds-G.[10]
Mission
Launch
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SpaceX launched the satellite on its CRS-11 mission to the International Space Station on 3 June 2017. The satellite was carried in a Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket, launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A. This was the 100th launch from Pad 39A and the first time SpaceX reused one of its Dragon capsules.[1] This mission also carried CubeSats from Japan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Mongolia.[10] The satellites from Bangladesh (BRAC Onnesha) and Mongolia (Mazaalai) are those countries' first satellites.
GhanaSat-1 was launched by a Japanese astronaut from the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer, located in the Japanese Kibō module of the International Space Station, on 7 July 2017.[10] The satellite launch was broadcast live and watched by over 400 people at All Nations University.[3] The satellite orbits the Earth at an altitude of 400 kilometres (250 mi) and at an inclination of 51.6 degrees. It orbits the planet every 92 minutes at a velocity of 7.67 kilometres per second (17,200 mph).[11][8]
Operations
The satellite is primarily a technology demonstrator and Earth observation satellite. The Ghana scientists will take images of the Ghanaian coastline for cartography. The director of Space Systems Technology Laboratory at All Nations University, Richard Damoah, said the satellite would "...also help us train the upcoming generation on how to apply satellites in different activities around our region. For instance, [monitoring] illegal mining is one of the things we are looking to accomplish."[3] The satellite communicates with seven ground stations: one in each of the countries participating in the Birds-1 program, and one each in Thailand and Taiwan.[4]
Future work
The university plans to coordinate with the government to build GhanaSat-2 and GhanaSat-3. The primary objective of GhanaSat-2 is to monitor water pollution, illegal mining, and deforestation.[12][13] Japan's work with non-spacefaring countries will continue with Birds-2 in 2018 with participation from the Philippines, Bhutan, and Malaysia.[4]
References
- ^ a b Clark, Stephen (3 June 2017). "Reused Dragon cargo capsule launched on journey to space station". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 4 June 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Bird GG - Orbit". Heavens Above. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
- ^ a b c "Ghana launches its first satellite into space". BBC News. 7 July 2017. Archived from the original on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d "Bird B, BTN, G, J, M, MYS, N, PHL (BRAC Onnesha, GhanaSat 1, Toki, Mazaalai, Nigeria EduSat 1)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "GhanaSat 1: Ghana's First Space Satellite To Be Launched in Japan". BuzzGhana.com. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- ^ "Mongolia to send first satellite off to space on June 4". Xinhua. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
- ^ "Mongolia to send its first satellite to space on June 4". The Indian Express. Indo-Asian News Service. 3 June 2017. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Babatunde, Mark (11 July 2017). "Ghanaian Engineers Launch Ghanasat-1, Join Space Race". Face2Face Africa. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
- ^ "Brac University says 'hi' to first nano-satellite". The Daily Star. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
- ^ a b c "BIRDS-1 AMSAT-UK". amsat-uk.org. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- ^ "President Akufo-Addo congratulates All Nations University for Ghanasat-1 Satellite". Ghana News Agency. 7 July 2017. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Ghana to launch GhanaSat 2 & 3 - Satellite Technical Team". GhanaWeb. Archived from the original on 10 July 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Bright, Jake. "Africa has entered the space race, with Ghana's first satellite now orbiting earth". Tech Crunch. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
External links