Characteristics
UniSat-2 is an octagonal prism with a modular structure consisting of honeycomb plates,
kept together by four aluminum bars, of size similar to UniSat-2, 15 cm lenght x 25 cm
height, but with a heavier mass weighting about 17 kg
Spin stabilized, it has magnetorquers for attitude maneuvers
Communication system: UHF and VHF radio equipment link communicate with the ground
station at radio amateurs frequency of 435 Megahertz
Power: solar cells and commercial Li-Ion batteries
Onboard data handling system
Off the Shelf subsystems components
Contains scientific payloads
Mission Objectives and Payload
Earth Observation, through a sensor for space debris impact/effect detection and monitoring
Commercial camera to transmit Earth imagery
Spectrometer‘s monitoring aerosols and water vapor
Technology demonstration: experiments testing terrestrial devices for Space applications, operating them in-orbit, e.g. innovative smaller Lithium-Ion batteries
Testing a couple of Microthrusters for attitude control to validate and demonstrate an onboard micropropulsion system, followed by a performance assessment. The spin stabilized micropopulsion experiment (microthruster) was developed in cooperation with Mechatronic (from Wien) and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica della Materia of Trieste. Tests are precursory to more complex future missions, demonstrating the possibility to use components off the shelf to reduce the costs and do research experiments
Small Sun sensor
Space science: Education scientific research
Launch
UniSat-2 has been successfully launched in LEO orbit (Near-circular Orbit height 650km, 65 degrees circa) from the DNEPR LV (managed by Kosmotras ISC) during the Cluster Launch on 20 December 2002, after the tests implemented at Baikonur Cosmodrome, the launch site in Kazakhstan.
The multiple launch comprised other 5 microsatellites: Rubin-2 from Germany, SaudiSat-1C from Saudi Arabia, LatinSat-A and LatinSat-B from USA, 2001 TrailBlazer from USA.
