The Vega 1 educational payload

Paper number

IAC-06-E1.P.1.01

Author

Mr. Guerric Pont, Kayser-Threde GmbH, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Ruedeger Reinhard, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands

Year

2006

Abstract

An educational payload of 75.6 kg is foreseen as part of a larger payload for the maiden flight of ESA’s new launch vehicle Vega. This payload opportunity aims at giving students from European universities pursuing a career in the space domain a valuable hands-on experience. A preliminary design study was carried out at ESTEC from 23 August to 13 September 2005 by the Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) with support from the Directorate of Launchers, the Directorate of Technical and Quality Management and the ESA Education Department.

The launch into a Sun-synchronous, circular orbit at 400 km altitude is foreseen for end 2007 from Kourou (French Guyana). The spacecraft structure is based on Aeolus existing design, foreseen as the first commercial payload. The overall spacecraft mass budget is 710 kg, including 365 kg of total payload capability. The spacecraft is not equipped with solar cells and thus the on-board battery modules are the only power source available. Optimised evaluation of the on-board power was achieved by careful design of the operation time line; the spacecraft bus operative lifetime can be up to 30 hours (20 hours nominal mission life time to suit the passenger experiments). This life time will ensure downlink not only via relay satellite (Artemis), but will also allow 3 passes over the preferred ground stations Kiruna and Redu. Spacecraft attitude and orbit control is not actively control (i.e. no AOCS). The data rate capabilities for ground relay station and for relay satellite link (Artemis) are well above the required figure, using existing hardware. Thermal control is performed only by passive thermal means. The experiments will experience the same environmental conditions as the rest of the spacecraft.

The educational payload comprises two sets of experiments: a fixed set and a non-fixed set. The fixed set is composed of experiments participating in the demonstration of the Vega launcher payload environment. This set comprises a GPS experiment (to compute spacecraft position and attitude), a camera experiment (to image the fairing/spacecraft separation), a control box interface experiment (power and data management with spacecraft main system), and a downlink telecommunication system (to retrieve data on ground). These units are foreseen to be designed and used as generic space qualified units which can be used for other projects. The non-fixed set of experiments, which have no set guidelines and can be of any type, comprises 6 CubeSats (to be deployed from the main spacecraft), a Physics experiment box and a Biology experiment box. The Biology and Physics experiment boxes can accommodate one or more experiments.

The educational payload is entirely provided by the participating universities; selection, coordination and management are provided by the ESA Education Department.

Abstract document

IAC-06-E1.P.1.01.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-06-E1.P.1.01.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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