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).