LEDSAT passes Flight Acceptance Review and now has a ticket to orbit

LEDSAT’s mission is deceptively uncomplicated but likely really handy. Every experience of the dice-formed satellite residences an LED board, producing six in complete. An onboard LED controller is also section of the payload. When in orbit and in Earth’s shadow, LEDSAT will flash its little lights, and optical floor stations will consider to notice these to help in knowledge how the satellite is oriented in place, this could be an a must have technique for potential satellites to have their positions tracked and trajectories predicted, thus keeping away from collisions with other spacecraft.

LED flashes may perhaps further more be employed to reveal a usually means of optical communication involving the satellite and the floor.

When vivid plenty of to be tracked by ground stations the LEDs will not be bright plenty of to notice with the naked eye, and will be dimmer than most stars, consequently must not be a difficulty for significant astronomy observations.  The venture is also produced in collaboration with astronomers throughout several institutes.
The college student crew behind LEDSAT have been fast paced making ready for their Flight Acceptance Review– the last critique right before acceptance for launch. In Berlin, they conducted a qualification shock check on a spare established of their payload: 6 LED boards and an LED controller board. The boards were set up into a CubeSat construction and seasoned the shock amounts expected all through the journey into room. At ESA Education’s CubeSat Assistance facility in ESEC, Belgium, the team also successfully performed assessments random vibration and thermal vacuum testing to make sure their satellite is suitable with the Vega start car or truck that will have LEDSAT into orbit. LEDSAT was positioned in a test deployer and shaken to simulate launch, and then place in a thermal vacuum chamber where it was cycled by way of substantial and lower temperatures in vacuum.

The pupils were being then ready for their Flight Acceptance Critique Panel and Board Conferences – vital closing hurdles in advance of remaining capable to start their satellite. The reason of these classes is to be certain that a satellite is completely examined and built accurately, is capable for launch, has no outstanding structure challenges, has a completely ready and analyzed ground phase, and that the project meets all the applicable authorized and regulatory needs this kind of as Room Particles Mitigation actions.

The Flight Acceptance Review, like many elements of the Fly Your Satellite! programme, presents college students direct accessibility to ESA professionals, making it possible for for the powerful transfer of understanding, and so substantially enhancing a mission’s prospects of achievement. In reality, the Fly Your Satellite! Flight Acceptance Assessments are really very similar to individuals that a lot of ESA satellites undertake ahead of their launch, and usually the identical gurus are associated.

The Panel Meeting noticed a group of ESA specialists totally analyze the students’ Flight Acceptance Overview Details Bundle. They desired to make certain that every little thing was compliant with the specifications and specifications. As expected, they uncovered some minor troubles that the LEDSAT workforce were ready to take care of. Upcoming came the Board Assembly, where further ESA authorities examined recommendations from the Flight Acceptance Evaluation Panel. Some actions ended up recognized and the staff had been presented time to entire these ahead of two subsequent meetings soon after which the Board, amazed with the hard operate place in by the pupils, declared the mission prepared. The LEDSAT team were being supplied their “ticket to orbit”.

This suggests that the group is now all set to ship their flight design to the integration amenities in Europe and, collectively with the ESA Schooling Business office, will total the closing phases of the start planning, with a watch to launch this summer time!