TUGSAT-1
Mission typeAstronomy
OperatorGraz University of Technology
COSPAR ID2013-009F Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.39091
Spacecraft properties
BusGNB
ManufacturerUniversity of Toronto
Launch mass7 kilograms (15 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date25 February 2013, 12:31 (2013-02-25UTC12:31Z) UTC
RocketPSLV-CA C20
Launch siteSatish Dhawan FLP
ContractorISRO
UTIAS
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude776 kilometres (482 mi)
Apogee altitude790 kilometres (490 mi)
Inclination98.62 degrees
Period100.37 minutes
Epoch8 November 2013, 11:26:32 UTC[1]
 

TUGSAT-1, also known as BRITE-Austria and CanX-3B, is the first Austrian satellite. It is an optical astronomy spacecraft operated by the Graz University of Technology as part of the international BRIght-star Target Explorer programme.

Details

TUGSAT-1 was manufactured by the University of Toronto based on the Generic Nanosatellite Bus, and had a mass at launch of 7 kilograms (15 lb)[2] (plus another 7 kg for the XPOD separation system). The spacecraft is cube-shaped, with each side measuring 20 centimetres (7.9 in).[3] The satellite will be used, along with five other spacecraft, to conduct photometric observations of stars with apparent magnitude of greater than 4.0 as seen from Earth.[4] TUGSAT-1 was one of the first two BRITE satellites to be launched, along with the Austro-Canadian UniBRITE-1 spacecraft. Four more satellites, two Canadian and two Polish, were launched at later dates.

Launch

The TUGSAT-1 spacecraft was launched through the University of Toronto's Nanosatellite Launch System programme, as part of the NLS-8 launch, along with UniBRITE-1 and AAUSAT3.[5] The NLS-8 launch was subcontracted to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), who placed the satellites into orbit using a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in the PSLV-CA configuration, flying from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.[6] The NLS spacecraft were secondary payloads on the rocket, whose primary mission was to deploy the Franco-Indian SARAL ocean research satellite. Canada's Sapphire and NEOSSat-1 spacecraft, and the United Kingdom's STRaND-1, were also carried by the same rocket under separate launch contracts.[2] The launch took place at 12:31 UTC on 25 February 2013, and the rocket deployed all of its payloads successfully.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Peat, Chris (8 November 2013). "CANX 3B (BRITE-ASRA) - Orbit". Heavens Above. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  2. ^ a b "PSLV-C20/SARAL Mission" (PDF). Indian Space Research Organisation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  3. ^ "System Overview". TUGSAT Web Portal. Graz University of Technology. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  4. ^ "Science Goals". BRITE Executive Science Team. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  5. ^ "About NLS-8". UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  6. ^ "PSLV-C20 on FLP". UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory. 21 February 2013. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  7. ^ Clark, Stephen (25 February 2013). "Ocean monitor, smartphone satellite launched from India". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
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