| Name | 3CAT-2 (3CAT2, CubeCat-2) |
|---|---|
| Form factor | CubeSat |
| Units or mass | 6U |
| Status | Reentry 2023-12-18. Was operational? (Inactive according to website. Last SatNOGS report 2019-05-23, but never any data. Checked 2019-05-25) |
| Launched | 2016-08-15 |
| NORAD ID | 41732 |
| Deployer | ISIPOD [ISISpace] |
| Launcher | Long March 2D |
| Organization | Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC, BarcelonaTECH) |
| Institution | University |
| Entity | Academic / Education |
| Nation | Spain |
| Launch brokerer | ISILaunch |
| Oneliner |
Perform ocean altimetry by means of Global Navigation Satellite Systems Reflectometry (GNSS-R). |
| Description |
Perform ocean altimetry by means of Global Navigation Satellite Systems Reflectometry (GNSS-R). The main payload is the novel dual-band altimeter P(Y) & C/A ReflectOmeter (PYCARO). Also star tracker Mirabilis and experimental magnetometer for eLISA. Uses FAPEC, a powerful data compressor. PYCARO reflectometer is designed to compare a direct signal from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and Beidou with the same signal reflected to Earth. PYCARO therefore operates as what is called a bistatic radar, i.e. it does not emit a signal but merely captures the signals emitted by other systems. This technique is known as GNSS-R, and can be used to obtain data on ocean altimetry, sea conditions and soil moisture, among other applications. |
| Sources | [1] [2] [3] |
| Photo sources | [1] |
Last modified: 2024-05-29
