ESTCube-1 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views
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scheduled to be launched to orbit in second half of 2013
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Student Satellite is an educational project that university and high school students can participate in
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The CubeSat standard for nanosatellites was followed during the engineering of ESTCube-1, resulting in a 10x10x11.35 cm cube, with a volume of 1 liter and a mass of 1.048 kg.
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According to the CubeSat standard there are three different sized CubeSats corresponding to size 1U, 2U and 3U. Base side lengths are the same but height is 2 to 3 times bigger than 1U CubeSats
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Mass is also set in CubeSat standard, the highest possible mass for 1U CubeSat is 1300 grams, 2U CubeSat 2600 grams and 3U CubeSat 4000 grams
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On board of the satellite is an electric solar wind sail (e-sail) which was created by a Finnish scientist Pekka Janhunen
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10 meters of e-sail 50 to 20 micrometers thick wire of high-technology structure so-called Heytether will be deployed from the satellite.
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The deployment of the Heytether can be detected by decrease of the satellite's speed of rotation or by a on-board camera
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To control the loaded solar wind sail elements interaction with the plasma surrounding the earth and the effect it has on the spacecraft spinning speed the spacecraft has two on-board nanotechnologic electron emitters/gun
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The electron emitters are connected to the e-sail element and by shooting out electrons it loads the e-sail element positively to 500 volts
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The positive ions in the plasma push the e-sail element and have an influence on the satellites rotation speed
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Half an hour after the satellites deployment from the start capsule satellites antennas will be opened and radio transmitter and important subsystems will be switched on
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E-sail element deployment from the satellite by a centrifugal force and confirming the deployment via the on-board camera
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If possible using the negatively charged e-sail to take the satellite off orbit and burn it in the earths atmosphere
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For fast connections FSK-modulation radio signal on a frequency of 437.505 MHz with a 9600 baud connection speed and AX.25 standard is used.
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Somewhat slow connection speed is caused by the usage of amateur radio frequencies which allow a maximum of 25 kiloherz bandwidth
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Cheapest possibility to send a satellite onto orbit is offered by European Space Agency. Because Estonia is an associated member of ESA most of the launch expenses (about 70,000 euros) will be covered from Estonian member fee for educational expenses. With the launch total expenses for the project are approximately 100,000 euros.