Mission type Technology COSPAR ID 2016-025D Spacecraft type 1U CubeSat Launch date 25 April 2016 Inclination 98.2° Rocket Soyuz | Operator Politecnico di Torino SATCAT no. 41460 Launch mass 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) Inclination 98.2° Period 1.6 hours | |
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Manufacturer Polytechnic University of Turin Similar Sentinel‑1B, Alsat‑1B, Intelsat 36, Shijian‑10, Swayam | ||
e-st@r-II (Educational Satellite @ Polytechnic University of Turin 2) is a miniaturized satellite designed and built by Polytechnic University of Turin, as part of the "Fly Your Satellite" program of the European Space Agency.
Launch and deployment
It is a CubeSat satellite, placed in orbit by Arianespace with Soyuz Booster, VS14 flight, on April 25, 2016 at 21:02 GMT (23:02 CEST) from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana . The main payload of the launch was Sentinel-1B from program Copernicus and Microscope designed by the CNES, the French space agency.
In addition to e-st@ r-II there was other two CubeSats 1U (AAUSAT 4, .htm OUFTI 1) they were packed aboard the Soyuz. These small satellites, each measuring just 10 × 10 × 11 cm in height, have been developed by teams of university students through ESA programs.
E-st@ r-II is the successor of e-st@r, the first Italian CubeSat and the first Cubesat of the Polytechnic University of Turin.
More than 30 students have been working on this project, with the unique opportunity of practical experience of space applications.
E-st@r-II is a 1U CubeSat developed for demonstrating the autonomous active attitude control capabilities based on magnetic actuation: in fact, the payload is an Active Attitude Determination and Control System. The commissioning phase foresees that the payload is deactivated leaving the satellite in its free tumbling motion, without any attitude stabilization. The A-ADCS starts its work when commanded from GCS, controlling the angular velocities and the attitude of the satellite.
The primary scientific objectives of e-st@r-II mission are:
E-st@r-II is a follow-on of e-st@r-I, the first Italian CubeSat and the first satellite of Politecnico di Torino to be inserted on orbit. More than 30 students worked on this project, using a unique opportunity of hands-on experience on space applications. It will demonstrate the ability of determining (with gyros and magnetometers) and actively controlling its attitude. The bus functionalities, as a basis for other CubeSats, will be demonstrated: it is a step towards future missions and applications.
Once deployed into orbit, e-st@r-II will begin transmitting signals to Earth approximately 30 minutes after activation. Signals can be picked up by anyone with common amateur radio equipment. To celebrate the launch of this second CubeSat, e-st@r-II, the world amateur radio community are invited in a contest to listen out for satellite.
Currently the team that developed the satellite, the CubeSatTeam of Politecnico di Torino, is actively working on development of the Next model: 3-STAR, a 3U CubeSat.