A sampling of recent articles, press releases, etc. related to student and amateur CubeSat / SmallSat projects and programs (find previous smallsat roundups here):

** ACRUX-1 CubeSat was launched by the Melbourne Space Program last summer on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket. The goal of the not-for-profit organization is “to launch the next generation of technology pioneers”. The CubeSat project was three years

… in the making. In June 2019, Melbourne-based volunteer students from various Australian universities across multi-disciplinaries designed, built from scratch and successfully launched a working CubeSat satellite called “ACRUX-1” into lower earth orbit on Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket mission called Make It Rain. This was part of a ridesharing mission through Spaceflight, a launch service provider.

Here’s part of the integration process at @SpaceflightInc! They’re integrating #ACRUX1 in the CubeSat dispenser. It’s then closed & placed in the rocket. When the rocket reaches the right orbit, it’s deployed, the dispenser’s front door opens & the satellite pops out!#MakeItRAIN pic.twitter.com/2AAtU1LsKy

— Melbourne Space Program (@MelbSpace) June 14, 2019

The next project is ACRUX-2

ACRUX-2 is the MSP’s next exciting nano-satellite mission that will be focused on the concept of responsible use of space.

Given the success of ACRUX-1, the MSP team have been given permission to think big! The plan is to build and launch a 3U Cubesat. Currently, the project is in the mission planning stage and the finer details of the mission are still to be finalised – so stay tuned for more info!

Check out the MSP news page for info on the ACRUX-1 and updates on ACRUX-2:

• ​ACRUX-1: Mission success
• What makes ACRUX-1 one-of-a-kind? (Part 1: Education Innovation)
• What makes ACRUX-1 one-of-a-kind? (Part 2: Business Sustainability)
• ACRUX-1: You had questions, we’ve got answers

A video about the project: Insights into successfully designing, building and launching a CubeSat

Video of a live stream presentation by Hydrix electronics engineer, Blake Fuller, sharing his journey in helping to design and launch the ACRUX-1 CubeSat. The event was hosted by the Space Association of Australia

** AMSAT news on student and amateur CubeSat/smallsat projects: ANS-012 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin

• Virgin Orbit Plans Flight Test of LauncherOne Rocket in February
• AMSAT Awards Update
• AMSAT at Cowtown Hamfest – Ft. Worth – January 17-18
• JARL Announces FO-29 Activation Schedule
• CAMSAT Says CAS-6 Activation for Amateur Use has been Delayed
• Telemetry Dashboard Available for SMOG-P and ATL PocketQubes
• MIT Radio Society W1MX January Lecture Series on “Everything Radio”
• AMSAT-DL Announces a New QO-100 DownConverter V3d
• AMSAT South Africa Space Symposium 2020 First Call for Papers
• Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule
• Upcoming Satellite Operations
• Satellite Shorts From All Over

General CubeSat/SmallSat info:

• Resources:
  • Suppliers — CubeSat.org
  • Miniature energetic electrostatic analyzer designed for CubeSat missions: Scilight: Vol 2020, No 2
  • AstroCast – Advanced and Sustainable Satellite IoT Communication Network
    • CubeSat finds its way in space with Galileo receiver – GPS World
•  Projects:
  • • Blue Canyon Technologies to build its largest satellite to date for MethaneSAT – SpaceNews.com
    • Cubesats gain broader acceptance for astrophysics missions – SpaceNews.com
    • Qarman (Qubesat for Aerothermodynamic Research and Measurements on AblatioN) – von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (VKI)
      • Belgium’s QARMAN CubeSat to deploy Jan 20 – Southgate Amateur Radio News

   

 

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