Aldebaran-1 Spacecraft

Educational mission with a LoRa transmitter.

Aldebaran-I is a satellite developed by students and professors from the Federal University of Maranhao with the objective of providing students access to the processes associated with satellite development according to imposed requirements and limitations.

Additionally, the students will operate and monitor the satellite activities during the mission period. To achieve this, training will be provided to undergraduate and graduate students from UFMA on the concepts of amateur radio and the operations of the ground station installed at the university. Thus, all operators of the stations in communication with the satellite will be licensed amateur radio operators, strengthening the importance of the amateur radio community and university groups involved in the development of amateur radio satellites.

The Amateur Radio Service will be used for communications. All mission communications will be carried out by duly licensed Amateur Radio stations and all communications will be in alignment with the regulations governing the Amateur Radio Service. The satellite will feature a LoRa transmitter, allowing amateur radio operators and students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the technology. The satellite will have an implemented store-and-forward digipeater experiment that will receive and transmit test messages from amateur radio operators on the ground or on board. This concept is applied as a concept for emergency disaster communication and satellite.

Primary:

• Concept test to help rescue small vessels in the municipality of Raposa-MA through the nanosatellite and low-cost locators that communicate with it.

Secondary:

• Validation of LoRa communication technology in space.
• Contribute to the Aerospace culture in the academic environment of UFMA and at the regional level.
• To train professors and undergraduate and graduate students in Aerospace Engineering at UFMA in the development of nanosatellites.
• Establish a tracking station to transmit/receive satellite signals.

A partnership between the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) and the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA).

Have not seen proof before the launch that they are on Transporter-9 and D-Orbit ION. Initially thought to have been launched on 2023-11-11, but does not seem to be the case based on LinkedIn posts.