| Satellite name | WolfSat-1 |
|---|---|
| Type | CubeSat |
| Units or mass | 1U |
| Status | not launched, expected in 2025 |
| Launcher | Firefly Alpha |
| Organisation | The Aerospace and Innovation Academy |
| Institution | Non-profit |
| Entity type | Academic / Education |
| Country | US |
| Manufacturer | AIVT by NearSpace Launch |
| Oneliner |
CubeSat to Monitor Enzyme Activity of Ideonella Sakaiensis in the Microgravity Environment |
| Description |
The WolfSat-1 intends to explore Ideonella Sakaiensis as a medium to combat plastic pollution here on Earth, and subsequently in space. The primary mission of the WolfSat-1 is to assess the on-orbit viability of the bacteria Ideonella sakaiensis. A secondary mission seeks to validate the team’s novel microfluidic payload and to educate pre-college students through real-world aerospace experiences. The WolfSat-1 will be built upon a 1U FastBus structure developed by Near Space Launch, Inc. (NSL). This FastBus contains an EyeStar-S3 Simplex Communications System, live data access via the online NSL Console, five fixed solar arrays, Electrical Power System with batteries, Flight Processor, Anodized Aluminum Chassis, inhibit switches, and harnessing for external NSL systems. Researchers have discovered Ideonella sakaiensis is capable of digesting polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is a common component of single-use plastics. Wolfsat-1 will assess the efficacy of I. sakaiensis’ ability to digest PET and similarly related plastics via specific enzyme pathways PETase and MHETase. This experiment will quantify PET consumption via a light-emitting diode and photodetector. Once the experiment begins, the I. sakaiensis will begin digesting the sample as the light-emitting diode is lit against one side of the polymer sample. As I. sakaiensis digests the sample, it will deteriorate, allowing continually larger amounts of photons to be transmitted, increasing the sensor signal to the microcontroller. The mission will be deemed successful if the CubeSat transmits data through the dashboard providing data to compare the ground studies with the microgravity results. If successful, this mission will impact long term space and earth sustainability, determining whether or not the metabolic enzyme kinetics of Ideonella sakaiensis align with the results of previous studies on bacteria’s behavior in microgravity that suggest up to a 25-30% enhancement. |
| Sources | [1] [2] [3] |
| Photo sources | [1] |
| COTS subsystems |
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| Subsystems sources | [1] |
| Keywords | Globalstar or Iridium or Inmarsat |
Last modified: 2024-08-22
