UNISAT-3
UniSat-3 is the third student-made microsatellite, designed, integrated, tested and operated in orbit by the students participating in the UNISAT Program established the School of Aerospace Engineering.
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Characteristics
Modular architecture of the spacecraft consists of an octagonal prism 40cm diameter and 25cm height with 150 x 250mm octagonal plates and alluminium panels, nominal mass of 12 kg
Sun-synchronous orbit, height 710/790 km, inclination 98°
Spacecraft stabilized with a passive magnetic attitude control: attitude stabilization was performed by a permanent magnet and attitude determination through a Sun sensor
Affordable budget for the realization
Subsystems off the shelf, like CDH, computer and stacked telemetry electronic boards
Solar panels for Power subsystem and Solar Cells Tests (by the Kiev Polytechnic Institute)
Communication system conform to the radio amateur packet system
Mission Objectives and Payload
As the previous two prototypes, “hands-on” education and research are the main goals: providing the students (with the support of the University staff) with more practical experience and didactical effectiveness
In-orbit Testing and Space qualification of terrestrial off the shelf components and technologies
Foster cooperation between Universities and Companies/Industries concerning Space activities
Measurements of the Earth magnetic field for attitude determination
Telemetry correctly received from the Ground Station right after launch
Electronic boards
COTS magnetometer (mounted on a PCB – Printed Circuit Board)
Triple junction solar cells (Photovoltaic system)
Launch
UniSat-3 was successfully launched on 29 June 2004 from Baikonur Cosmodrome using the DNEPR launch vehicle, only 18 months after UniSat-2 launch and lasted/was tracked for over 5 years in orbit.
It was a cluster launch with other seven satellites: SaudiComsat 1, SaudiComsat 2 and SaudiSat 2 from Saudi Arabia (KACST); AprizeSat 1 (LatinSat C), AprizeSat 2 (LatinaSat D) and AmSat Echo from United States (SpaceQuest); Demeter from France (CNES).
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