{"id":22308,"date":"2020-07-23T17:59:26","date_gmt":"2020-07-23T21:59:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=22308"},"modified":"2020-07-23T17:59:26","modified_gmt":"2020-07-23T21:59:26","slug":"student-and-amateur-cubesat-news-roundup-july-23-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=22308","title":{"rendered":"Student and amateur CubeSat news roundup – July.23.2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

** University Wurzburg UWE-4 CubeSat<\/a> fires NanoFEEP electric thrusters to avoid a possible collision<\/strong> with a derelict Iridium satellite: Morpheus thruster propels single cubesat to lower orbit – SpaceNews<\/a><\/p>\n

Germany\u2019s University of Wurzburg Experimental-4 (UWE-4) cubesat avoided a potential collision in early July while lowering its altitude with Morpheus Space\u2019s NanoFEEP electric propulsion system.<\/em><\/p>\n

It was the first time a one-unit cubesat performed a collision-avoidance maneuver, Istvan Lorincz, Morpheus president and co-founder, told\u00a0SpaceNews.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
“UWE \u2011 4 with Thrusters, Neutralizer and a new kind of sun sensors on each panel.” Credits: Univ. of Wurzburg<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The UWE-4 mission<\/a> is intended as a technology demonstration<\/a>. In addition to propulsion, it is testing a new sun sensor design. The CubeSat was launched as a secondary payload on a Soyuz rocket in December 2018<\/a>.<\/p>\n

See also Successful first demonstration of orbit control on a 1U CubeSat – Lehrstuhl f\u00fcr Informatik VII<\/a><\/p>\n

The 1U CubeSat, developed and built at the Chair for Robotics and Telematics, is equipped with the electric propulsion system NanoFEEP which has been developed by TU Dresden.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Several manoeuvres have been performed within 11 days between June 23rd \u2013 July 3rd 2020 such that the altitude of the CubeSat was reduced by more than 100 m, compared to an average of 21 m with natural decay. This marks the first time in CubeSat history that a 1U CubeSat changed its orbit using an on-board propulsion system.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

As chance would have it, the team of UWE-4 received a conjunction data message (CDM) in the morning of July 2nd 2020 from the United Air Force\u2019s 18th Space Control Squadron. A conjunction of UWE-4 with a non-operational Iridium satellite (ID: 34147) in the morning of July 5th 2020 with a minimum range of about 800 m was a threat to the safety of UWE-4. An analysis has shown that the altitude of UWE-4 would already be below the Iridium satellite at the time of conjunction. Thus the on-going altitude lowering manoeuvre could only improve the situation and can be considered as a collision avoidance manoeuvre. No further CDMs have been issued regarding this possible conjunction. An analysis of the orbit of the two spacecraft after July 5th 2020 results in a closest approach of more than 6000 m.<\/em><\/p>\n

** AMSAT<\/strong><\/a> news<\/strong> on student and amateur CubeSat\/smallsat projects:<\/p>\n

ANS-201 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin:<\/a><\/p>\n