OPS-SAT-1
OPS-SAT 1 is a 3U CubeSat launched on December 18th, 2019. It was funded by the ESA General Support Technology Programme (GSTP) and built by Austrian, German, Polish and Danish industry. Its aim is to demonstrate the improvements in mission control capabilities that arise when satellites can fly more powerful on-board computers. Being in orbit for over three years, it has produced numerous publications and validated concepts that are now being adapted by big upcoming space missions. Its success has paved the way for further missions, in which the lessons learned are being incorporated.
The Payloads
Processing platform
The heart of the OPS-SAT satellite payload is the processing platform, which is responsible for providing a reconfigurable environment able to fulfil the objectives of each experiment. The processing platform runs Linux, as the operating system consists of a flexible and reconfigurable framework, featuring sophisticated processing capabilities, interfaces, memory integrity and reconfigurable logic.
Fine Attitude Determination Control System
An integrated fine ADCS will provide the experimenters with access to sensors and actuators as well as integrated attitude control functionality. It consists of gyros, accelerometers, magnetometers, reaction wheels, three magnetorquers and a Star Tracker.
Global Positioning System
A GPS module is provided, so experimenters can have access to positioning data and time information.
S-Band Transponder
For high data-rate communications a CCSDS-compatible S-band communication link, acting as the main link for data communications and TM/TC with ESA ground stations, is provided. It will provide uplink speeds of up to 256 kbit/s and downlink speeds of up to 1 Mbit/s. The S-band link will be used to upload experimenter’s’ software and download results of on-board experiments.
S-Band Transponder
For high data-rate communications a CCSDS-compatible S-band communication link, acting as the main link for data communications and TM/TC with ESA ground stations, is provided. It will provide uplink speeds of up to 256 kbit/s and downlink speeds of up to 1 Mbit/s. The S-band link will be used to upload experimenter’s’ software and download results of on-board experiments.
X-Band Transmitter
An X-band transmitter with high data-rate communications of up to 50 Mbit/s.
Camera
A high-resolution camera which can provide a ground resolution of up to 80m x 80m per pixel.
Optical Uplink
An optical receiver will be provided that can receive commands from a laser ranging station on Earth. An uplink rate of 2 kbps is expected.
Software Defined Radio
A software-defined radio front end will be provided, connected to one of the pair of diploes in the UHF antenna. The results of this experiment will be made available on the processing core for further processing by experimenters, for example providing a flying spectrum analyser.
Interfaces
Experimenters will be able to communicate with their flying experiments in various ways, ranging from offline file transfer only, to receiving and sending space packets in realtime with a brand new CCSDS protocol (MO services) over the internet.
For more detailed information about the satellite, a presentation given on the CubeSat can be viewed on YouTube and the presented slides found under publications.