AuroraSat-1 Satellite

AuroraSat-1
AuroraSat-1
AuroraSat-1
AuroraSat-1
AuroraSat-1
AuroraSat-1
AuroraSat-1
AuroraSat-1
Satellite name The Flying Object (AuroraSat-1, Aurora CubeSat)
Form factor CubeSat
Units or mass 1.5U
Status No signal (Object not identified and personal contact as of 2022-12-21)
Launched 2022-05-02
NORAD ID ?
Deployer Maxwell [Rocket Lab]
Launcher Electron
Entity name Aurora Propulsion Technologies
Institution Company
Entity Commercial
Country Finland
Manufacturer AIVT by SatRev
Operator ?
GS Service RBC Signals
Launch brokerer Momentus
Partners SatRev
Oneliner

Demonstrate water resistojet thrusters and the Plasma Brake Module for deorbiting.

Description

Demonstrate water-fueled resistojet thrusters to provide attitude and altitude control as well as the Plasma Brake Module for deorbiting.

The Plasma Break Module includes a tether thinner than a human hair and about 500 meters long that creates drag through its interaction with plasma in the upper atmosphere.

Aurora’s attitude control system has 6 thrusters and one of the world’s smallest thrust systems. It includes a Plasma Brake Module (PBM) that can deorbit the satellite once the mission is completed from anything up to 1000 km altitude orbits. PBM has significantly lower power consumption, it is lightweight and best of all it is fully Cubesat compatible. PBM works on any inclination orbit and it can be effective on satellites of up to 24kg of mass.

We currently have two PBM modules on the platform, each of them having a slightly different deployment sequence. One of the PBM modules can be launched in the passive mode, meaning the satellite is not spinning. The other PBM module will be in an active mode, meaning the satellite is spinning. Both techniques, need to prove that they are able to perform. We have successfully tested it on Earth with positive outcomes.

The PBM modules have their own independent power system which can function without the satellite. PBM has a passive system that is completely autonomous. There might be a situation where the propulsion system or the communication system might not respond, however, the PBM automatically deploys. It is one of the few systems in the market that can deorbit a malfunctioning satellite. After 6 months or so that all tests have been completed, we activate the PBM. The deorbit time will be from 1.5 to 2 years.

Sources [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
Photo sources [1] [2] [3] [4]
COTS subsystems
  • THRUSTER - Aurora Propulsion Technologies
  • ADCS - Aurora Propulsion Technologies
Keywords Propulsion, De-orbit device
On the same launch

Last modified: 2024-05-29

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Created by Erik Kulu

Email: erik.kulu@nanosats.eu
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