Aalto-1, multi-payload CubeSat: Design, integration and launch

J. Praks; M. Rizwan Mughal; R. Vainio; P. Janhunen; J. Envall; P. Oleynik; Antti Näsilä; H. Leppinen; P. Niemelä; A. Slavinskis; J. Gieseler; P. Toivanen; T. Tikka; T. Peltola; A. Bosser; G. Schwarzkopf; N. Jovanovic; B. Riwanto; A. Kestilä; A. Punkkinen; R. Punkkinen; H. P. Hedman; T. Säntti; J. O. Lill; J. M.K. Slotte; H. Kettunen; A. Virtanen

doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.11.042

Aalto-1, multi-payload CubeSat: Design, integration and launch

J. Praks, M. Rizwan Mughal^*, R. Vainio, P. Janhunen, J. Envall, P. Oleynik, Antti Näsilä, H. Leppinen, P. Niemelä, A. Slavinskis, J. Gieseler, P. Toivanen, T. Tikka, T. Peltola, A. Bosser, G. Schwarzkopf, N. Jovanovic, B. Riwanto, A. Kestilä, A. PunkkinenR. Punkkinen, H. P. Hedman, T. Säntti, J. O. Lill, J. M.K. Slotte, H. Kettunen, A. Virtanen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

48 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The design, integration, testing and launch of the first Finnish satellite Aalto-1 is briefly presented in this paper. Aalto-1, a three-unit CubeSat, launched into Sun-synchronous polar orbit at an altitude of approximately 500 km, is operational since June 2017. It carries three experimental payloads: Aalto Spectral Imager(AaSI), Radiation Monitor (RADMON) and Electrostatic Plasma Brake (EPB). AaSI is a hyperspectral imager in visible and near-infrared (NIR) wavelength bands, RADMON is an energetic particle detector and EPB is a de-orbiting technology demonstration payload. The platform was designed to accommodate multiple payloads while ensuring sufficient data, power, radio, mechanical and electrical interfaces. The design strategy of platform and payload subsystems consists of in-house development and commercial subsystems. The CubeSat Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT) followed Flatsat-Engineering-Qualication Model (EQM)-Flight Model (FM) model philosophy for qualification and acceptance. The paper briefly describes the design approach of platform and payload subsystems, their integration and test campaigns and spacecraft launch. The paper also describes the ground segment & services that were developed by Aalto-1 team.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	370-383
Journal	Acta Astronautica
Volume	187
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.11.042
Publication status	Published - Oct 2021
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

Testing work at the University of Jyvaskyla has been supported by the Academy of Finland under the Finnish Centre of Excellence Programms 2006-2011 and 2012-2017 (Project No:s 213503 and 2513553, Nuclear and Accelerator Based Physics), and by the European Space Agency (ESA/ESTEC Contract 18197/04/NL/CP).

Keywords

Aalto spectral imager
Aalto-1
CubeSat
Electrostatic plasma brake
Hyperspectral
Radiation
Radiation monitor

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10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.11.042

Cite this

Praks, J., Mughal, M. R., Vainio, R., Janhunen, P., Envall, J., Oleynik, P., Näsilä, A., Leppinen, H., Niemelä, P., Slavinskis, A., Gieseler, J., Toivanen, P., Tikka, T., Peltola, T., Bosser, A., Schwarzkopf, G., Jovanovic, N., Riwanto, B., Kestilä, A., ... Virtanen, A. (2021). Aalto-1, multi-payload CubeSat: Design, integration and launch. Acta Astronautica, 187, 370-383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.11.042

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title = "Aalto-1, multi-payload CubeSat: Design, integration and launch",

abstract = "The design, integration, testing and launch of the first Finnish satellite Aalto-1 is briefly presented in this paper. Aalto-1, a three-unit CubeSat, launched into Sun-synchronous polar orbit at an altitude of approximately 500 km, is operational since June 2017. It carries three experimental payloads: Aalto Spectral Imager(AaSI), Radiation Monitor (RADMON) and Electrostatic Plasma Brake (EPB). AaSI is a hyperspectral imager in visible and near-infrared (NIR) wavelength bands, RADMON is an energetic particle detector and EPB is a de-orbiting technology demonstration payload. The platform was designed to accommodate multiple payloads while ensuring sufficient data, power, radio, mechanical and electrical interfaces. The design strategy of platform and payload subsystems consists of in-house development and commercial subsystems. The CubeSat Assembly, Integration \& Test (AIT) followed Flatsat-Engineering-Qualication Model (EQM)-Flight Model (FM) model philosophy for qualification and acceptance. The paper briefly describes the design approach of platform and payload subsystems, their integration and test campaigns and spacecraft launch. The paper also describes the ground segment \& services that were developed by Aalto-1 team.",

keywords = "Aalto spectral imager, Aalto-1, CubeSat, Electrostatic plasma brake, Hyperspectral, Radiation, Radiation monitor",

author = "J. Praks and Mughal, \{M. Rizwan\} and R. Vainio and P. Janhunen and J. Envall and P. Oleynik and Antti N{\"a}sil{\"a} and H. Leppinen and P. Niemel{\"a} and A. Slavinskis and J. Gieseler and P. Toivanen and T. Tikka and T. Peltola and A. Bosser and G. Schwarzkopf and N. Jovanovic and B. Riwanto and A. Kestil{\"a} and A. Punkkinen and R. Punkkinen and Hedman, \{H. P.\} and T. S{\"a}ntti and Lill, \{J. O.\} and Slotte, \{J. M.K.\} and H. Kettunen and A. Virtanen",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.11.042",

language = "English",

volume = "187",

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Praks, J, Mughal, MR, Vainio, R, Janhunen, P, Envall, J, Oleynik, P, Näsilä, A, Leppinen, H, Niemelä, P, Slavinskis, A, Gieseler, J, Toivanen, P, Tikka, T, Peltola, T, Bosser, A, Schwarzkopf, G, Jovanovic, N, Riwanto, B, Kestilä, A, Punkkinen, A, Punkkinen, R, Hedman, HP, Säntti, T, Lill, JO, Slotte, JMK, Kettunen, H & Virtanen, A 2021, 'Aalto-1, multi-payload CubeSat: Design, integration and launch', Acta Astronautica, vol. 187, pp. 370-383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.11.042

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AU - Praks, J.

AU - Mughal, M. Rizwan

AU - Vainio, R.

AU - Janhunen, P.

AU - Envall, J.

AU - Oleynik, P.

AU - Näsilä, Antti

AU - Leppinen, H.

AU - Niemelä, P.

AU - Slavinskis, A.

AU - Gieseler, J.

AU - Toivanen, P.

AU - Tikka, T.

AU - Peltola, T.

AU - Bosser, A.

AU - Schwarzkopf, G.

AU - Jovanovic, N.

AU - Riwanto, B.

AU - Kestilä, A.

AU - Punkkinen, A.

AU - Punkkinen, R.

AU - Hedman, H. P.

AU - Säntti, T.

AU - Lill, J. O.

AU - Slotte, J. M.K.

AU - Kettunen, H.

AU - Virtanen, A.

PY - 2021/10

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N2 - The design, integration, testing and launch of the first Finnish satellite Aalto-1 is briefly presented in this paper. Aalto-1, a three-unit CubeSat, launched into Sun-synchronous polar orbit at an altitude of approximately 500 km, is operational since June 2017. It carries three experimental payloads: Aalto Spectral Imager(AaSI), Radiation Monitor (RADMON) and Electrostatic Plasma Brake (EPB). AaSI is a hyperspectral imager in visible and near-infrared (NIR) wavelength bands, RADMON is an energetic particle detector and EPB is a de-orbiting technology demonstration payload. The platform was designed to accommodate multiple payloads while ensuring sufficient data, power, radio, mechanical and electrical interfaces. The design strategy of platform and payload subsystems consists of in-house development and commercial subsystems. The CubeSat Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT) followed Flatsat-Engineering-Qualication Model (EQM)-Flight Model (FM) model philosophy for qualification and acceptance. The paper briefly describes the design approach of platform and payload subsystems, their integration and test campaigns and spacecraft launch. The paper also describes the ground segment & services that were developed by Aalto-1 team.

AB - The design, integration, testing and launch of the first Finnish satellite Aalto-1 is briefly presented in this paper. Aalto-1, a three-unit CubeSat, launched into Sun-synchronous polar orbit at an altitude of approximately 500 km, is operational since June 2017. It carries three experimental payloads: Aalto Spectral Imager(AaSI), Radiation Monitor (RADMON) and Electrostatic Plasma Brake (EPB). AaSI is a hyperspectral imager in visible and near-infrared (NIR) wavelength bands, RADMON is an energetic particle detector and EPB is a de-orbiting technology demonstration payload. The platform was designed to accommodate multiple payloads while ensuring sufficient data, power, radio, mechanical and electrical interfaces. The design strategy of platform and payload subsystems consists of in-house development and commercial subsystems. The CubeSat Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT) followed Flatsat-Engineering-Qualication Model (EQM)-Flight Model (FM) model philosophy for qualification and acceptance. The paper briefly describes the design approach of platform and payload subsystems, their integration and test campaigns and spacecraft launch. The paper also describes the ground segment & services that were developed by Aalto-1 team.

KW - Aalto spectral imager

KW - Aalto-1

KW - CubeSat

KW - Electrostatic plasma brake

KW - Hyperspectral

KW - Radiation

KW - Radiation monitor

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DO - 10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.11.042

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SN - 0094-5765

VL - 187

SP - 370

EP - 383

JO - Acta Astronautica

JF - Acta Astronautica

ER -

Aalto-1, multi-payload CubeSat: Design, integration and launch

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