Subsystem overview
There are two payload packages on the satellite.
Re-entry experiment
This is the primary payload and is intended to produce data on the position and attitude of the spacecraft that will used to validate re-entry models for space debris.
The instruments in this package are
- GNSS reciever: either Galileo or GPS; for position measurement
- Gyroscopes for attitude measurement
- Magnetometers for attitude measurement
The data from this experiment is recorded once every ten minutes throughout the nominal operation period of the spacecraft and downlinked to Earth as 7 floating point numbers (the seventh being time). The accuracy of the payload data is designed to be:
- within 50 m for position
- within 5o for attitude
- within 0.01 s for time
Camera
Payload camera 2MP test image
The secondary payload is a visible-band colour camera. This is to take photos of the Earth (hopefully even Europe) that can be downlinked to earth. Photos are taking on demand from the ground.
The maximum resolution of the camera is 2MP however this is variable as dictated by the ground operator. Variable resolution will allow for testing of the device in orbit without having to wait several weeks for a full image to downlink to the Southampton groundstation. The file and compressed using the jpeg file format.
