Students in the SATLLA program launched two nanosatellites, SATLLA-2A and SATLLA-2B, into space on a SpaceX rocket last week. The launch was broadcast live and included explanations of the satellites and their missions. SpaceX also broadcast the launch of the satellites live from a camera mounted on the launch vehicle.
What is the SATLLA program?
The nanosatellites were built at the Ariel University Research Laboratory under the direction of Prof. Boaz Ben Moshe and by students from various departments at the university. The purpose of the satellites is to promote and make accessible research activities in the field of "new space" and to provide a platform for other research and academic institutes.
The two nanosatellites contain several scientific experiments such as a star tracking system, an aircraft tracking system, a preparation for a stabilization system for laser communication (FSO Free Space Optical communication), photography and image analysis, and various other experiments. The size of a satellite is about (5 x 5 x 11.4) cm and its mass is about 300 grams.
Do they work?
The two nanosatellites are both in orbit and hovering at an altitude of about 540 km. The first message from SATLLA-2B was received almost simultaneously with its launch. To date, 20 transmissions have been received and we can state that the energetic state of the satellite is excellent. Unfortunately, we have not yet managed to contact the SATLLA-2A satellite. We suspect that there is a problem with its antenna deployment mechanism. We will try to send a command to deploy the antennas in the next few days and hope to receive good news.
What's next.
In the coming weeks, we will begin a series of experiments designed for the satellites. We will start with a simple mission and continue with complicated missions later.
Where can I see the satellite beacons?
Satellite beacons are tracked through the Amateur Radio tinyGS website. Link: https://tinygs.com/satellite/SATLLA-2B
I have more questions:
If you have any questions or would like information, you can contact us through the website. We will be happy to assist you.
Comments