SwissCube-1
 | |
| Mission type | Atmospheric Technology |
|---|---|
| Operator | EPFL |
| COSPAR ID | 2009-051B |
| SATCAT no. | 35932 |
| Website | swisscube |
| Mission duration | 3-12 months planned 60+ months achieved[1] |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | 1U CubeSat |
| Launch mass | 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 23 September 2009, 06:21 UTC |
| Rocket | PSLV-CA C14 |
| Launch site | Satish Dhawan FLP |
| Contractor | ISRO |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous |
| Perigee altitude | 710 kilometres (440 mi)[2] |
| Apogee altitude | 722 kilometres (449 mi)[2] |
| Inclination | 98.39 degrees[2] |
| Period | 98.97 minutes[2] |
| Epoch | 24 January 2015, 04:38:10 UTC[2] |
SwissCube-1 is a Swiss satellite operated by Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). The spacecraft is a single unit CubeSat, which was designed to conduct research into nightglow within the Earth's atmosphere, and to develop technology for future spacecraft.[3] It has also been used for amateur radio. It was the first Swiss satellite to be launched.[4]
SwissCube-1 was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, serial number C14, flying in the Core Alone, or PSLV-CA, configuration.[5] The launch took place from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, at 06:21 UTC on 23 September 2009.[6] SwissCube-1 was a secondary payload aboard the rocket, which deployed the Oceansat-2 satellite. Five other secondary payloads were flown aboard the rocket; BeeSat, UWE-2, ITU-pSat1, Rubin 9.1 and Rubin 9.2.[7][8]
SwissCube-1 is operating in a sun synchronous orbit[9] with an apogee of 752 kilometres (467 mi), a perigee of 726 kilometres (451 mi) and 98.28 degrees of inclination to the equator. It has an orbital period of 98.5 minutes.
Its mission was expected to last between three and twelve months.[7] The mission was extended an additional 18 months in February 2010 and an additional ground command facility was added.[10] It took its first picture on 18 February 2011 and its first airglow picture on 3 March 2011.[11]
On 2 December 2011, EPFL ended the SwissCube project and turned over control of the satellite to amateur radio operators.[12] As of February 2014[update] SwissCube is still operational.[13]
See also
References
- ^ "SwissCube » Live Tracking". Space Center EPFL - SwissCube. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
- ^ a b c d e "SWISSCUBE Satellite details 2009-051B NORAD 35932". N2YO. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
- ^ "Project Objectives" (PDF). SwissCube. EPFL. May 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
- ^ "Switzerland Launches First Satellite" (PDF). EATOPS. 5 October 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
- ^ Wade, Mark. "PSLV CA". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
- ^ a b Krebs, Gunter. "SwissCube". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Rubin 9". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
- ^ "Centres de contrôles déportés, un exemple de travail collaboratif pour la mission SwissCube" (PDF). EATOPS. 14 February 2010.
- ^ "Le satellite Swisscube délivre ses premiers clichés". 2011-03-25. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
- ^ "SwissCube update". AMSAT-UK. 2011-12-03. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
- ^ "SwissCube » Live Tracking » Mission data". Space Center EPFL - SwissCube. 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2014-02-08.
External links
Media related to SwissCube-1 at Wikimedia Commons
