Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : Spaceflight SSO-A : December 3, 2018 - UPDATES  (Read 107318 times)

Offline Draggendrop

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The rumour here is that RAAF M1 was DOA.

I will be putting another list up shortly due to new information and will mark RAAF M1 as you have stated, pending other info that may pop up later...Thanx

-----------------------

I saw this on "twitter" and realized we have a discrepancy between "officially tracked" and "customer/private" tracking and acknowledgement.

https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1084715673744486400

I did not want to look like an idiot and spent 5 hours to re-verify the data. I found a few new confirmations as well.

I will post the list as plain text with links for those here to verify. I am confident with the data but if I missed something, please inform me for corrections.

The list is a bit "busy" with links and misc data and I will clean it up on a further posting in the future once others have had a chance to view.

Payload list on next post.

Offline Draggendrop

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New info...marked on the list as well.

(2) ORS 7A, B Polar Scouts (mission cubesats) Kodiak and Yukon were confirmed by the U.S. Coast Guard
https://www.arctictoday.com/u-s-coast-guard-launches-first-satellites-eye-arctic-security/?wallit_nosession=1

(1) AISTECH SAT 2
http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=91838

(1) Range A and B piggy back...confirmed and tracked for Range A...Range B was to release in 2 days after launch but no info so far.
Data for range A in the list, multiple sources.

SpaceBEE 5, 6, 7 confirmed...
https://medium.com/swarm-technologies/swarm-grows-constellation-to-seven-satellites-with-recent-launch-c7b9e8284035

(1) KNACKSAT  last contact was Dec 7th...info on the list

I have noted some irregularities at end of list, but so far the list portrays...
" We have 50 SSO-A spacecraft with confirmed operational status:"
and
"possible 15 SSO-A spacecraft which have not been publicly confirmed operational:"
of which...
(1) KazSciSat-1 may have been confirmed here, but I need a translation
http://kazscisat.istt.kz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=101

List is next...

Offline Draggendrop

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With data from gongora's list located here...
// https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=38551.msg1839535#msg1839535
r/spacex user strawwalker's list located here...
// https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/a0vjff/rspacex_ssoa_official_launch_discussion_updates/
and posts from users of NSF, r/spacex and twitter, this would be today's WAG for payload disposition.
--------------------------------------------
14 Jan 2019

 We have 50 SSO-A spacecraft with confirmed operational status:

(1) AISTECH SAT 2
//http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=91838

(1) Al-Farabi-2
//https://twitter.com/scott23192/status/1070105504934969346
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43805

(1) Astrocast 0.1
//https://twitter.com/strocast/status/1069964356354490374

(1) BRIO
//https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=46756.msg1884103#msg1884103

(1) Capella 1
//https://twitter.com/capellaspace/status/1069783322245513219

(1) Centauri I
//https://twitter.com/fleetspace/status/1069843704691609601

(1) Corvus-BC 4
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43767
//https://www.n2yo.com/?s=43767&live=1
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43767 (TLE)
//CubeSat is shown being tracked

(1) CSIM
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069732337494188034

(1) Eaglet-1
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1071421338382946304

(1) Elysium Star 2, no comm pkg
//http://elysiumspace.com/launch-schedule/
//http://elysiumspace.com/2018/12/05/elysium-star-2-successfully-launched-into-earth-orbit/
//http://elysiumspace.com/mobile-app/ (I have not installed the app to verify...to do list)
// This is the only payload listed as successfull (for now) that I would like a second source.

(1) ESEO
//https://twitter.com/ESA__Education/status/1069713957785620481
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1071543176215883776

(1) Eu:CROPIS
//https://twitter.com/EuCROPIS/status/1069704780250013698
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43807

(1) eXCITe
//https://twitter.com/NovaWurks/status/1069994409851203584

(1) ExseedSat-1
//https://twitter.com/ExseedSpace/status/1069904096038215680

(1) FalconSat-6
//https://www.atlasground.com/news/atlas-provides-first-ever-dod-use-of-commercial-cloud-based-satellite-communications-network

(3) Flock-3s 1,2,3
//https://twitter.com/planetlabs/status/1069758382242811906

(1) Fox-1C
//https://twitter.com/n0jy/status/1069758930136518656
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069754904531619840

(1) Global 2
//https://twitter.com/BlackSky_Inc/status/1069712204243587072
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43812

(3) Hawk 1, 2, 3
//https://twitter.com/hawkeye360/status/1069729255150534656

(1) Hiber 2
//https://twitter.com/HiberGlobal/status/1069873575249801217

(1) Iceye X2
//https://twitter.com/iceyefi/status/1069697230356008966
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43800

(1) IRVINE02
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069910847806427136

(1) ITASAT
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069948383593459712
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069943617417031680

(1) JY1Sat
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069951802202820608
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069950795125325824
//https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dtk6k85X4AAM5MH.jpg
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43803

(1) K2SAT
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1071418813588090881

(1) KazSTSAT
//https://twitter.com/SurreySat/status/1069687074113183744

(1) KNACKSAT
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069886268677459968
//https://twitter.com/knacksat/status/1081071409080614914
//last contact on Dec 7th,low signal, battery charging

(1) MinXSS 2
//https://twitter.com/minxsscubesat/status/1069868073174294528
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069856989579304960

(1) MOVE-II
//https://twitter.com/MOVE_II/status/1069941545321795589
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069890836408737793

(1) NEXTSat-1
//https://twitter.com/Kor_Spaceflight/status/1069730194842238976
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43811

(1) Orbital Reflector (ORS-1)
//https://twitter.com/trevorpaglen/status/1069952273990778880

(1) Pathfinder II
//https://twitter.com/HeliosWireCo/status/1069771106867851264

(2) ORS 7A, B Polar Scouts (mission cubesats) Kodiak and Yukon
// Kodiak (U.S. Coast Guard) contact confirmed
// Yukon  (U.S. Coast Guard) contact confirmed
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43808 (being tracked)
//https://www.arctictoday.com/u-s-coast-guard-launches-first-satellites-eye-arctic-security/?wallit_nosession=1
// These are 3U CubeSats
//https://www.arctictoday.com/coast-guard-launching-small-satellites-arctic-search-rescue/?wallit_nosession=1


(1) PW-Sat2
//https://twitter.com/PWSat2/status/1069895545282539522
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069883783367811072
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43814

(1) RANGE A plus B (Georgia Tech, after 2 days it separates into two 1.5 CubeSats with GPS receivers, onboard compact laser ranging and UHF primary)
//http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?cat=507
spotted on Dec 3rd with ESEO and MinXSS-2
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069924124166930433
//https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DtkiUehW4AEM4Pk.jpg
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43798#results  (Range A with TLE) (No idea on Range B separation from Range A)

(1) SeaHawk-1
//https://twitter.com/UNCWCubeSat/status/1069991686099664896

(2) SkySat 14 (C12), 15 (C13)
//https://twitter.com/planetlabs/status/1069712850799648768
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43802   (C13)


(1) SNUGLITE
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069898651269513217
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1071748760135524354
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1083127520004919297

(1) SNUSAT-2
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1071363255120072705

(3) SpaceBEE 5, 6, 7
//https://medium.com/swarm-technologies/swarm-grows-constellation-to-seven-satellites-with-recent-launch-c7b9e8284035

(1) Suomi 100
//https://twitter.com/S100Sat/status/1069923924941639680
//https://twitter.com/dk3wn/status/1069995629890424832
//https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=43804

(1) VESTA
//https://www.sstl.co.uk/media-hub/latest-news/2018/sstl-confirms-successful-launch-of-vesta


possible 15 SSO-A spacecraft which have not been publicly confirmed operational:


(1) Audacy Zero; POINTR
//https://twitter.com/Audacy/status/1070569693348413441
//after 4 days, still no contact, from above link
//(3U CubeSat technology demonstration mission of Audacy, Mountain View, CA, built by Clyde Space)

(1) BlackHawk

(1) Enoch, no comm pkg (possible failure to deploy, TBD)

(1) ICE-Cap  (U.S. Navy 3U Cubesat)
//The objectives are to demonstrate a cross-link from LEO (Low Earth Orbit) to MUOS (Mobile User Objective System) WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) in GEO (Geosynchronous Orbit). The objective is to send to users on secure networks.

(1) KazSciSat-1
//This may be confirmation....require a translation...
//http://kazscisat.istt.kz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=101

(2) OrbWeaver 1 & 2 (2018-099AP, 2018-099AD)

(1) RAAF M1 (an Australian 3U CubeSat (~4 kg) designed and built by UNSW (University of New South Wales) for the Australian Defence Force Academy, Royal Australian Air Force. RAAF-M1 is a technology demonstration featuring an AIS receiver, and ADS-B receiver, an SDR (Software Defined Radio).)
// possible DOA...see post #179 Steven Pietrobon

(1) STPSat-5 (The satellite was built by SNC (Sierra Nevada Corporation) on the modular SN-50 bus with a payload capacity of 50-100 kg and compatible with ESPA-class secondary launch adaptors.)

(1) THEA  (a 3U CubeSat built by SpaceQuest, Ltd. of Fairfax, VA)

(3) US Government spacecraft

(1) VisionCube-1  (a 2U CubeSat designed by the Korea Aerospace University)

(1) WeissSat-1 (a 1U CubeSat mission by the Weiss School in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, to validate a a Lab-on-a-Chip system, NASA funded)

-----------------------
Spacefight has stated 64 payloads here...
//http://spaceflight.com/sso-a-smallsat-express-wrap-up/
and here...
//http://spaceflight.com/spaceflight-successfully-launches-64-satellites-on-first-dedicated-rideshare-mission/

This list has 65 payloads. Still working on this issue.

We have one payload intentionally sealed and one possibble jam during deploy...
//http://spaceflight.com/sso-a-smallsat-express-wrap-up/

The problem is how the payloads were counted such as Range A and Range B which were dispenced piggyback and were to separate after 2 days.
Range A is being tracked but I have no operational info on Range B

Elysium Star 2 has been placed in the upper category, but on poor information. There is a mobile app that will require installation to help confirm this data...will leave as is for now and rely on vague wording from the company.

---------------------
Please review the list and point out any issues for correction.

Edit...forgot to append RAAF M1 as possible DOA
« Last Edit: 01/14/2019 12:46 pm by Draggendrop »

Offline Moskit

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(1) KazSciSat-1 may have been confirmed here, but I need a translation
http://kazscisat.istt.kz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=101
I couldn't find a direct confirmation, except this update in "News" section:
13/12/2018: KSNN site published the first results of measuring and processing data from KazSciSat-1. Results are available in "Database" section.

"Database" section contains TLE:
1 43785U 18099AD  19010.76794220  .00000153  00000-0  19282-4 0  9997
2 43785  97.7573  84.5132 0014894 126.1160 234.1441 14.95033702  5236

...and what seems to be measurements by KazSciSat from sequential dates (GDP-SSS-YYMMDD.xlsm), except it's described as "Demonstration files"
http://kazscisat.istt.kz/index.php?option=com_phocadownload&view=category&id=6:demo-files&Itemid=122

Offline gongora

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This process of updating the payload list should probably just continue in the Discussion thread.

Offline Draggendrop

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Updated 18 Jan 2019
------------------------

We have 49 SSO-A spacecraft with confirmed operational status:

(1) AISTECH SAT 2

(1) Al-Farabi-2

(1) Astrocast 0.1

(1) BRIO

(1) Capella 1

(1) Centauri I

(1) CSIM

(1) Eaglet-1

(1) Elysium Star 2, no comm pkg

(1) ESEO

(1) Eu:CROPIS

(1) eXCITe

(1) ExseedSat-1

(1) FalconSat-6

(3) Flock-3s 1,2,3

(1) Fox-1C

(1) Global 2

(3) Hawk 1, 2, 3

(1) Hiber 2

(1) Iceye X2

(1) IRVINE02

(1) ITASAT

(1) JY1Sat

(1) K2SAT

(1) KazSTSAT

(1) KNACKSAT

(1) MinXSS 2

(1) MOVE-II

(1) NEXTSat-1

(1) Orbital Reflector (ORS-1)

(1) Pathfinder II

(2) ORS 7A, B Polar Scouts (Kodiak and Yukon)

(1) PW-Sat2

(1) RANGE A plus B

(1) SeaHawk-1

(2) SkySat 14 (C12), 15 (C13)

(1) SNUGLITE

(1) SNUSAT-2

(3) SpaceBEE 5, 6, 7

(1) Suomi 100

(1) VESTA


possible 16 SSO-A spacecraft which have not been publicly confirmed operational:


(1) Audacy Zero; POINTR

(1) BlackHawk

(1) Corvus-BC 4

(1) Enoch, no comm pkg (possible failure to deploy, TBD)

(1) ICE-Cap 

(1) KazSciSat-1 (TBD)

(2) OrbWeaver 1 & 2

(1) RAAF M1 (possible DOA, TBD)

(1) STPSat-5

(1) THEA 

(3) US Government spacecraft

(1) VisionCube-1 

(1) WeissSat-1

-----------------------

Please post individual payload updates, questions and comments in the Spaceflight SSO-A discussion thread...

//https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=38551.0

edit: "bolding" for changes, 18 Jan 2019
« Last Edit: 01/18/2019 03:48 pm by Draggendrop »

Online smoliarm

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Re: KazSciSat-1

On the KSNN site in the NEWS section the latest record says:

Quote
13.12.2018

На сайте КСНН опубликованы первые результаты измерений и обработки данных спутника KazSciSat-1. Результаты доступны в разделе "База данных".

Google translation:
Quote
The first results of measurements and data processing of the satellite KazSciSat-1 were published on the website of the KSNN. Results are available in the "Database" section.

The link "Database"
 leads to page with the link to
"Демонстрационные файлы (49)" ("Demo files")
and three links for upload of documents:
Manual KazSciSat-1.docx  [Скачать] [Описание] -- "[Upload] [Description]"
KazSciSat-1.tle  [Скачать] [Описание]
TLE 43785 10 .txt  [Скачать] [Описание]

AIUI, this is confirmation of KazSciSat-1 being operational.

Offline Olaf

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Online Steven Pietrobon

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Official confirmation that RAAF M1 is not communicating with the ground.

https://www.spaceconnectonline.com.au/operations/3206-defence-provides-update-on-aussie-research-satellite

"The mission, known as Mission 1 (M1), is pushing the boundaries of small space technology for the Air Force. While efforts are still underway to communicate with the satellite, this is all part of the exploratory work."
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Quote
SSO-A: DEPLOYMENT STATUS
By Jeff Roberts
MARCH 4, 2019

Now that the launch is in the rear view mirror a couple months, we thought we’d take one last look at the deployment status.

As a quick review, SSO-A is the record-setting small satellite rideshare launch from the US, launching 49 cubesats, 15 microsats, and two free flying spacecraft carriers.  Spaceflight launched SSO-A successfully on December 3, 2018 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 out of Vandenberg Air Force Base in CA, and we now have confirmation that all expected deployments were successful.

The responsibility of tracking and identifying satellites lies with the Combined Space Operations Center (CSpOC) in cooperation with the spacecraft owners. Spaceflight has worked closely with CSpOC to help them identify payloads and understand what they were seeing on orbit. On the website SpaceTrack.org, there are twenty two spacecraft from the SSO-A launch that are unclaimed by their owners, which means that CSpOC is tracking the spacecraft, but there is not enough information from the customer to confirm specific identity.

With a launch of this size, it is not unusual for the identification process to take some time and many variables influence the length of time it takes to make contact with a satellite, including the orbit, number of ground stations, transmitter frequency bandwidth, the experience of the operator, and good two-line elements (TLEs) that define the spacecraft’s orbit. With this launch there were customers that made contact with their spacecraft before the deployment sequence had even finished. 

As of February 14, 2019, all but four spacecraft owners have reported successful contact with their spacecraft.  These four cubesats are being tracked by CSpOC, but without positive radio contact, their identity cannot be confirmed. Although we hope that their owners soon make contact, it is increasingly likely that this will not happen. Cubesats are often used as low cost technology demonstrators, and sometimes they are not successful.

Our fingers are still crossed.

https://www.spaceflightindustries.com/2019/03/04/sso-a-deployment-status/

Offline eeergo

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Offline PM3

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Quote
... we now have confirmation that all expected deployments were successful.

...

As of February 14, 2019, all but four spacecraft owners have reported successful contact with their spacecraft.  These four cubesats are being tracked by CSpOC, but without positive radio contact, their identity cannot be confirmed. Although we hope that their owners soon make contact, it is increasingly likely that this will not happen. Cubesats are often used as low cost technology demonstrators, and sometimes they are not successful.

Here is some detail update:

Quote
... all but four had been tracked down. One of those four, he said, was a cubesat that was not deployed at all because it didn’t get its licensing completed in time.

https://spacenews.com/spaceflight-looks-to-more-rideshare-missions-with-fewer-satellites-per-launch/
"Never, never be afraid of the truth." -- Jim Bridenstine

Offline PM3

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Sad news: The Orbital Reflector has been declared lost.  :'( :'(

Tracking of the satellite was delayed because of the complications with the many SSO-A payloads, and FCC license processing was delayed by the Government Shutdown (they had to work off the backlogs afterwards). During this lengthy process, communcation with the satellite was lost.

Lost in space: Nevada Museum of Art's million dollar 'Orbital Reflector' is gone for good (Reno Gazette)

Artist Trevor Paglen’s $1.5 Million ‘Orbital Reflector’ Is Officially Lost in Space Thanks to President Trump’s Government Shutdown (artnet)

Presse release of the Nevada Museum of Art
« Last Edit: 05/02/2019 11:24 pm by PM3 »
"Never, never be afraid of the truth." -- Jim Bridenstine

Offline PM3

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https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1131976339936940033

Quote from: Jonathan McDowell
One more sat identified from the SSO-A launch last year: 2018-099BD is FleetSpace's Centauri 1. Long delay apparently failur eof Fleet to get its act together letting DoD know. 12 objects still unidentified including 3 suspected to be DoD payloads
"Never, never be afraid of the truth." -- Jim Bridenstine

Offline gongora

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https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1134563327600975872
Quote
Six months after launch, the DOD has finally identified which objects are the three DoD cubesats on the SSO-A launch: SPAWAR-CAL-O, SPAWAR-CAL-R, and SPAWAR-CAL-OR,  2018-099J, U and W. Guessing they are passive optical and radar calibration targets  for the uS Navy space group

https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1134564730838945793
Quote
I missed this item last year which talks about these three 1U sats
https://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/News/Pages/NNS181119-18.aspx

Offline Olaf

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Online Steven Pietrobon

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The relevant bit:

"The Lower Free Flyer should deorbit within approximately 5 years, and the Upper Free Flyer in less than 14, far less than the 25 years that is the requirement."
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.


Online FutureSpaceTourist

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twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1159241574900879360

Quote
Jeff Roberts of Spaceflight gives an overview of last year’s SSO-A rideshare mission. Of 64 satellites, 4 cubesats never made contact after deployment; 12 sats never claimed by their owners with Air Force. (And 1 locked in its deployer because of lack of licensing.) #smallsat

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1159242026627371008

Quote
Roberts: very hard to deal with 50+ customers on the same mission, but not against doing another mission like SSO-A. #smallsat

SpaceX has a plan that may mean he doesn’t have to worry about that issue again ...

Offline jacqmans

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The sun sets on ESEO as ESA’s pioneering student satellite mission concludes
04/12/2020

After almost two years in space, ESA’s European Student Earth Orbiter mission – ESEO – is coming to a close. Designed by students, for students, it has raised the bar for what can be achieved by university student teams.

Numerous technical setbacks provided additional hurdles, but also extra opportunities for students to learn about the reality of working with advanced hardware and software in orbit around our planet.

A satellite by students, for students

ESEO was envisaged by ESA Academy’s hands-on space programme as a revolutionary educational project; nothing less than a fully-functional satellite, with scientific and technological payloads designed and operated entirely by university students. This provided a unique opportunity for students across Europe to gain significant practical experience in the design, development, launch and operations of a real space mission – for many, a dream come true.

In total, more than 600 students from ESA Member States have been involved in ESEO, from the project’s beginnings and during each phase and iteration, developing the scientific and technology demonstration payloads, key sub-systems, and the entire ground segment. Throughout the project, students took part in workshops and lectures, were directly involved in the technical project reviews, and actively worked on the design, development, and testing of their hardware and software. "I came to the ESEO project when I was applying for the doctorate program in the field of space debris mitigation,” recalls Dr. Chiara Palla, who worked on ESEO during her time as a PhD student at Cranfield University. “In fact, at Cranfield we were developing a drag sail mechanism to de-orbit the satellite. ESEO provided the chance to fully design, manufacture and test the device. This was an invaluable opportunity to engineer real space hardware and get hands-on with a space mission cycle in a fully international environment. I'm really convinced that the experience gained from ESEO has been driving me to successfully perform new research and lead new teams."

To make ESEO a reality, ESA teamed up with Prime Industrial contractor SITAEL. This leading Transportation and Aerospace Group developed the satellite platform, then performed the integration and testing of the whole spacecraft, including the integration of the student-built payloads and subsystems. In addition, they provided valuable and much appreciated technical support to the student teams under ESA’s coordination. Viktor Qiao was a student from the Hungarian Langmuir Probe team. He explains, “When I joined the Laboratory of Space Technology at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, I was very lucky, because I was just in time to participate in the development of the Langmuir Probe for ESEO. It was the first engineering project that I worked on and I’ll never forget all the practical skills I learned, and the experience of working with ESA professionals and participating in the final test campaign. Working with SITAEL was an excellent opportunity to gain experience in engineering fields other than our own, such as mechanical and systems engineering. It also provided a glimpse into the day-to-day reality of work within the space industry. I’m now a PhD student, and I’ll always be proud of ESEO as the project that started my engineering career – hopefully only the first in a long list of projects to come."

A further valuable contribution by industry for the success of the ESEO project came from ST Microelectronics, which donated a set of Integrated Current Limiters used for the development of the power distribution board by the student team from BME Budapest.

A lasting legacy
Originally designed to be in orbit for just six months, project extensions have seen ESEO circling our planet for almost two years. The spacecraft performed commissioning of the platform but was unable to reach its nominal attitude, and therefore, ideal operational mode. Due to a variety of technical challenges and hurdles, the mission operators were only able to activate a subset of the payloads, leading to reduced success in achieving the science objectives.

Learn more about ESEO’s in-orbit challenges and successes.

Despite – and indeed perhaps also thanks to – the setbacks, the educational return for the students involved over the lifecycle of ESEO has been truly vast, and ESEO’s overarching educational objective was achieved: for university students to acquire hands-on experience of the full life cycle of a real space project, real-life troubleshooting included, in order to prepare a well-qualified technical workforce for the European space sector.

“Remarkably, the participating students took a complicated space mission all the way from conception to operation in orbit,” says Hugo Marée, Head of the ESA Education Office. “The hurdles they overcame along the way have contributed to a great deal of learning, and given them unparalleled experience that will serve them well in their future careers in the space industry.”

ESEO’s mission may be over, but its story does not end here. ESA and SITAEL are preparing a second In-Flight Experience Workshop for students, with sessions themed on lessons learned during the operational phase of ESEO, as well as practical classes using an engineering model of the satellite. Furthermore, ESA is planning full training weeks based on the ESEO experience. Papers will also be published to disseminate ESEO’s learning among the wider community.

Alberto Lucci was a student at the University of Bologna working in ESEO’s Mission Control Centre. Like many of those involved, he now looks back on his time with ESEO as an inspirational and transformative experience. “Working on ESEO was like being on a roller coaster,” he remembers, “from the happiness of the first signal we received, to the concern for newfound issues, gasping with satisfaction at making recoveries, to the long nights spent executing operational procedures. This adventure will always be a milestone of my career. ESEO represented a chance for personal and professional growth: it taught me that with passion and expertise you can transform your dream into a career!”

https://www.esa.int/Education/ESEO/The_sun_sets_on_ESEO_as_ESA_s_pioneering_student_satellite_mission_concludes
Jacques :-)

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