SkyCube (satellite)

{{About|a satellite|the airline with callsign "SKY CUBE"|Sky Lease Cargo|the map projection|COBE sky cube}}

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = SkyCube

| image = The SkyCube cubesat, corner view, undeployed.jpg

| image_caption = SkyCube in undeployed state

| image_size = 300px

| mission_type = Earth imaging

| operator = Southern Stars

| COSPAR_ID = 1998-067EN

| SATCAT = 39569

| website =

| mission_duration = 60–90 days (planned)

| spacecraft_type = 1U CubeSat

| manufacturer = Nanoracks

| launch_mass = {{cvt|1.3|kg}}

| dimensions =

| power =

| launch_date = 9 January 2014, 18:07:05 UTC

| launch_rocket = Antares 120

| launch_site = MARS, LP-0A

| launch_contractor = Orbital Sciences

| deployment_from = International Space Station

| deployment_date = 28 February 2014

| last_contact = 27 March 2014

| decay_date = 9 November 2014

| orbit_reference = Geocentric orbit{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt|title=Satellite Catalog|publisher=Jonathan's Space Report|first=Jonathan|last=McDowell |access-date=3 May 2018}}

| orbit_regime = Low Earth orbit

| orbit_periapsis = {{cvt|408|km}}

| orbit_apoapsis = {{cvt|414|km}}

| orbit_inclination = 51.65°

| orbit_period = 92.79 minutes

| apsis = gee

}}

SkyCube was an American crowdsourced CubeSat. It was first announced on Kickstarter on 14 July 2012 and successfully funded on 12 September 2012, meeting its US$82,500 goal with a total of US$116,890. It was developed and built in 2012–2013, completed flight integration at Nanoracks in late 2013,{{cite web |url=http://nanoracks.com/nanoracks-completes-flight-integration-cubesats-bound-orb1-iss/|title=Nanoracks Completes Flight Integration of CubeSats Bound on Orb1 to the ISS|date=15 November 2013 }} and launched aboard the Cygnus CRS Orb-1 flight{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/orbital_investigations/|title=New Science Bound for Station on Orbital's Cygnus|date=4 April 2015|access-date=2 February 2014|archive-date=6 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140206125627/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/orbital_investigations/|url-status=dead}} at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia on 9 January 2014. SkyCube was deployed from the International Space Station on 28 February 2014. Contact with the satellite was last made on 27 March 2014. SkyCube re-entered the Earth's atmosphere on 9 November 2014.{{cite web|url=http://southernstars.com/about/|title=About Southern Stars|access-date=10 December 2022}} It is one of several crowdfunded satellites launched during the 2010s.{{cite web|url=https://makezine.com/2014/04/07/diy-satellites-now-and-near-future/|title=DIY Satellites: Now and Near Future {{!}} Make|last=Reyes|first=Matthew|date=7 April 2014|website=makezine.com|access-date=2019-01-05}}

Mission

SkyCube had three major mission components: the broadcast of messages from its radio, the capture of pictures from space via its three cameras, and the deployment of a large balloon.

= Messages =

The SkyCube radio emitted periodic beaconing pings which contained 120-byte messages from the Kickstarter backers. These pings were transmitted at 915 MHz, using the AX.25 protocol at 9600 baud with BPSK modulation, with a callsign of WG9XMF.{{cite web|url=https://apps.fcc.gov/els/GetAtt.html?id=138992&x=.|title=FCC Experimental License for SkyCube|publisher=FCC}} {{PD-notice}}

= Imaging =

Using its three cameras, SkyCube intended to take pictures of the Earth from orbit. The cameras were VGA resolution and had lenses with three different fields of view (120°, 35°, and 6°), giving a variety of imaging possibilities. The images would have been transmitted back to Earth at 57.6 kbit/s. Kickstarter backers chose when the pictures were taken. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) granted a 90-day imaging license to SkyCube on 1 February 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/CRSRA/files/SkyCube_NOAA_License_Public_Summary.pdf|title=SkyCube Private Remote Sensing License: Public Summary|publisher=NOAA|access-date=3 February 2014|archive-date=22 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222234824/http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/CRSRA/files/SkyCube_NOAA_License_Public_Summary.pdf|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}

= Balloon =

SkyCube would have deployed a large ({{cvt|2|m}}) balloon at the end of its mission. The balloon was coated with reflective titanium dioxide and made it visible from the ground. The balloon increased the atmospheric drag on SkyCube, and within two weeks the orbit would have decayed enough for SkyCube to enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up safely. The inflation was intended to be triggered via 4-gram CO₂ canister.

= Mission Failure =

Several attempts were made to establish connection with the satellite, following its deployment. Initial attempts failed, but eventually basic telemetry was received, which indicated that at least one solar panel failed to deploy.{{Cite web |title=Update 35: We Have Identified SkyCube · SkyCube: The First Satellite Launched by You! |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/skycube.htm |access-date=2022-04-02 |website= |language=en}} However, subsequent communication attempts were made to send commands to the satellite, but none created a response. The fact that the satellite's orbit did not decay as quickly as those other CubeSats launched indicates that it experienced less drag, which also supports the conclusion that there was not a sufficient solar panel deployment.{{Cite web |title=Update 37: Looking Back, Looking Forward · SkyCube: The First Satellite Launched by You! |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/skycube.htm |access-date=2022-04-02 |website= |language=en}}

Technical specifications

class="wikitable"

| Dimensions

| 10 × 10 × 11.3 cm CubeSat standard

Interface specification

| ISIPOD 1.4I

Mass

| {{cvt|1.3|kg}}

Expected lifetime

| 60 – 90 days

Attitude control system

| Passive magnotorquers

Power

| 9 total panels: one roof panel and 8 deployable panels. Each panel consists of 24 Spectrolab triangular cells wired in series-parallel for a nominal 12 V.

Batteries

| 2 x Li-ion 18650 cells, 8.4 V 2300 mAh, Molicell ICR18650J.

Power bus

| 3.3 V, 5 V regulated. Constant-current driver for solar panel deployment (Nichrome burn wires).

Primary downlink

| 915 MHz, AX.25 protocol, BPSK modulation, 57.6 kbit/s

Telemetry/messaging downlink

| 915 MHz, AX.25 protocol, BPSK modulation, 9.6 kbit/s

Command uplink

| 450 MHz, AX.25 protocol, FSK modulation, 9.6 kbit/s

Partnerships

SkyCube relied on several partners to provide necessary services:

class="wikitable"

! Organization

! Function

Naval Postgraduate School

| Ground station services in North America and Hawaii{{cite web|url=http://mstl.atl.calpoly.edu/~bklofas/Presentations/SummerWorkshop2012/Minelli_MC3.pdf|title=Mobile CubeSat Command and Control (MC3) Ground Stations|access-date=9 February 2014|archive-date=4 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304203240/http://mstl.atl.calpoly.edu/~bklofas/Presentations/SummerWorkshop2012/Minelli_MC3.pdf|url-status=dead}}

Saber Astronautics

| Ground station and Mission Control services in Australia{{cite web|url=http://www.saberastro.com/home/company/news.html|title=29 October 2013: Space Operations Deal Signed with Southern Stars|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222063635/http://www.saberastro.com/home/company/news.html|archive-date=22 February 2014}}

Orbital Sciences

| Launch provider

Nanoracks

| Integrator

Astronautical Development, LLC

| Radios and structural components

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20180304010249/http://www.southernstars.com/skycube/satellite.html SkyCube Satellite Technology] at the website of Southern Stars (archived version on the Wayback Machine)
[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/880837561/skycube-the-first-satellite-launched-by-you SkyCube: The First Satellite Launched by You!] at Kickstarter
[http://rdimitrov.twistedsanity.net/skycube/ SkyCube Picture Album]

Category:CubeSats

Category:Kickstarter-funded spacecraft

Category:Spacecraft launched in 2014

Category:Spacecraft which reentered in 2014

Category:Satellites deployed from the International Space Station

Category:Secondary payloads