Galaxy Aerospace Ghana’s Post

An infrared view of a laser-based test campaign – taking place at Redwire Space in Kruibeke, Belgium – which represents crucial preparation for ESA’s precision formation flying mission, Proba-3. Later this year, two satellites will be launched together into orbit to maintain formation relative to each other down to a few millimetres, creating an artificial solar eclipse in space. Proba-3’s ‘Occulter’ spacecraft will cast a shadow onto the other ‘Coronagraph’ spacecraft to block out the fiery face of the Sun and make the ghostly solar corona available for sustained observation for up to six hours per 19.5 hour orbit. However to maintain the position of a shadow just a few centimetres across on the Coronagraph satellite from the Occulter satellite around 150 m away, the two satellites rely on a suite of sensors, including intersatellite radio links, GNSS, visual imaging and – for the most precise positioning at closest range – a laser metrology (or ‘measurement of measurement’) system. This system will shoot a laser from the Occulter spacecraft toward a corner cube retroreflector placed on the face of the Coronagraph spacecraft for tracking of relative position and attitude (pointing direction), achieving millimetre precision. “To calibrate Proba-3’s laser metrology system, its performance was tested within the 60-m long Redwire cleanroom,” explains Damien Galano, Proba-3’s mission manager. “The Coronagraph’s laser was reflected off a retroreflector and the resulting positioning measurements checked against absolute ‘ground truth’ using a separate laser tracking system.” This mission is being put together for ESA by a consortium led by Spain’s Sener, with participation by more than 29 companies from 14 countries. The Proba-3 platforms have been designed by Airbus Defence and Space in Spain and satellite integration by Redwire in Belgium. GMV in Spain is responsible for Proba-3’s formation flying subsystem while its main coronagraph instrument comes from Belgium’s Centre Spatial de Liège, CSL. Proba-3 is due to be launched by PSLV-XL launcher from India in September. Full Article: https://lnkd.in/gw2PBtgx #ESA #Proba3 #Coronagraph

ICEYE, the global leader in persistent monitoring and natural catastrophe solutions, successfully launched three additional synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites on March 4, 2024, including a 1200 MHz radar bandwidth in-orbit technology demonstrator that will enable 25 cm imaging. The satellites were integrated via launch integrator Exolaunch and successfully lifted off aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-10 rideshare from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. Each spacecraft has established communication, and early routine operations are underway. Two of the three SAR satellites launched on the mission are manufactured by ICEYE US, while one is an in-orbit technology demonstrator manufactured by ICEYE in Finland. The in-orbit demonstrator model features an upgrade to ICEYE’s unique X-band antenna, increasing radar bandwidth to 1200 MHz. This enables higher-resolution imagery, up to 25 cm, and will be initially assigned to engineering tests before being made available to ICEYE customers. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e2AeZXQD #ICEYE #SAR #satellite #space #technology #Finland #US #intelligence #technology #industry

How Does Reusability Impact Spacecraft Avionics and Control Systems? Hey space enthusiasts! Ever wondered how reusable rockets, like SpaceX's Falcon 9, manage to handle the brutal journey through space again and again without burning out? It’s all thanks to highly resilient avionics and control systems! Let’s dive into how they’re designed to survive these intense missions! 1.Built to Brave the Vibes: Vibration Resistance During launch and re-entry, rockets encounter extreme vibrations. Imagine taking your phone on a rollercoaster ride... but a thousand times more intense! Reusable avionics systems are fitted with shock absorbers and reinforced mounts to endure these vibrations. For example, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 experiences vibrations around 4-5 Gs during ascent and descent. Special alloys and materials ensure that these systems stay rock-solid without loosening over repeated use. 2. Beating the Heat: Thermal Protection Reentry is like going through a blast furnace at 1,600°C (2,912°F)! Most rockets use heat shielding to protect sensitive electronics. For example, ceramic and carbon composites absorb and dissipate heat while cooling systems, like liquid coolant loops, maintain electronics at safe operating temperatures (~70-80°C). 3. Resisting Radiation: Shielded Against the Cosmos Spacecraft avionics are constantly bombarded by cosmic rays and solar radiation, which can damage microprocessors. These systems often have radiation-hardened components, meaning they can withstand radiation doses up to 100-300 krad (a thousand times more than humans can tolerate). They also use error-correcting codes in data storage to prevent cosmic interference from corrupting information. The Bottom Line? Durable and Smart Design! Reusable avionics and control systems are all about durability, from materials that resist temperature and vibration to shielding against cosmic forces. This durability means space agencies and companies save millions of dollars each launch, as they no longer need to replace entire systems every flight. I know you are curious to know about the materials used That is the real million dollar answer and trade secret. Otherwise everyone of us will be another Elon Musk! Image Credit and Copyright: SpaceX #SpaceTech #Space #spacexlaunch #RocketScience #SpaceX #SpaceExploration #Falcon9 #Innovation

Falcon 9 • Starlink 8-1 Launch time: 7:25 p.m. PDT (10:25 p.m. EDT, 0225 UTC) Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a batch of 21 Starlink internet satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E). The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on the droneship ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ in the Pacific Ocean a little more than eight minutes after liftoff. The mission features the launch of the next six Starlink satellites that include Direct to Cell capabilities. Delayed from April 5. My view from Vista, California… I can’t help but hum Elton John’s hit “Rocket Man.” It also reminds me that us engineers work on large projects, and sometimes don’t understand the “big picture“ rather only our little piece of the larger system. When I work on a new project that is out of my scope of knowledge I try and learn as much as I can about how my work affects the bigger picture. It helps me design a better PCB and I am learning. This is what I love about my work. It’s that we are always learning new technologies whether it’s circuits, manufacturing techniques, materials, and so on. To you younger engineers: Find a mentor where you work and pay attention to his teachings. Always ask questions and take good notes. Never stop being inquisitive… And remember this quote from famous Physicist Richard P. Feynman: “Knowledge isn’t free. You have to pay attention.”

How do we solve inaccurate TLE prediction during the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP)? The solution lies in targetted decentralized passive sensing to provide frequent, validated data for precise orbit determination for accurate tracking and monitoring of new satellites. Below is a work that explains the situation Frequent observations in (LEOP) - Part II As a part of SpaceX's Transporter-2 mission, once the TUBIN (Technische Universität Berlin Infrared Nanosatellite) was in space along with 87 other spacecrafts, the satellites underwent the LEOP. A preliminary state vector with the spacecraft's PVT (Position, Vector, and Time) at separation was provided by the launch facilitator. An hour after separation, a more accurate post-flight separation vector was released, replacing the preliminary one, ensuring precise ground station contact for the first 48 hours. After this period, GPS orbit determination tools were employed. For each orbit determined with new GPS data, the following day's orbit was determined and saved, containing a broader range of data about the satellite's orbit. The along-track error* for the predictions and the subsequent GPS data was the highest [1]. This error shows that TLEs calculated using GPS data from satellites aren't accurate, as they do not account for the various perturbation forces affecting it. The figure below shows the error between each prediction and subsequent GPS data. — Part I here : https://lnkd.in/gp-9zAFP *Longitudinal error, or "along-track error", is the error in the spacecraft’s position along its desired trajectory or orbit. [1] "Initial Tracking, Fast Identification in a Swarm and Combined SLR and GNSS Orbit Determination of the TUBIN Small Satellite",Clément Jonglez, Julian Bartholomäus, Philipp Werner, and Enrico Stoll, Aerospace 2022, 9(12), 793; https://lnkd.in/gQ9pJ_iz

AST SpaceMobile successfully unfolded its first five production satellites after compacting them for their SpaceX launch to low Earth orbit (LEO) last month, the direct-to-smartphone broadband constellation developer announced Oct. 25. Each unfolded Block 1 BlueBird spans about 64 square meters, featuring the largest solar array commercially deployed to LEO and matching the size of AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker-3 prototype launched two years ago. The Texas-based venture said it is continuing to conduct in-orbit health checks for the spacecraft to prepare them for operations in the United States, although it needs regulatory approval to test services using wireless frequencies from telco partners AT&T and Verizon. #network #apple #smartphone #future #iPhone #samsung #aerospace #connectivity #connectivitymatters  #military #MILSATCOM #communications  #newspace #newspaceeconomy #constellations #satellite #space #satelliteoperatos #satcoms #satellitesystems #satelliteoperations #telecommunications #spaceindustry #LowEarthOrbit #geo #megaconstellations #esa #nasa #eu #europe #resilience #oneweb #starlink #spacex #telesat #globalstar #iridium #qualcomm #att #huawei #ASTSpacemoblie #lynk #spacecraft #internetofthings #development #emergencyresponse #5g #6g #5gnetworks #spacedata #oneweb #starlink #iris2 #iridium #directtodevice #autonomousvehicles #d2d #dtd #sustainabity #viasat #tmobile #verizon #echostar #amazon #regulatory #emergency #vleo #MichaelHadjitheodosiou https://lnkd.in/ewbX75SX

Report: Starship – Impact On The Satcom Industry (ISU 2022) #SpaceEconomy #NewSpaceEconomy #NewSpace #Space *

Report: Starship – Impact On The Satcom Industry (ISU 2022) #SpaceEconomy #NewSpaceEconomy #NewSpace #Space *

Report: Starship – Impact On The Satcom Industry (ISU 2022) #SpaceEconomy #NewSpaceEconomy #NewSpace #Space *

Satellite Tracking: Can Laser Ranging help? Yes and No. Precise information of a satellite's position is vital for many space operations. Satellite Laser ranging (SLR), pictured below, can provide highly accurate range information, but can only work when there is already a  “good enough” estimate of the orbit. It’s a chicken and egg problem. Better orbital prediction leads to higher chances of SLR being successful which can in turn improve orbital prediction. This initial orbit is therefore vital to get correct. We firmly believer that only through distributed sensing networks that offer frequent independent observations can a holistic image of a space asset’s orbit be formed. Case study: The TUBIN The TUBIN (Technische Universit��t Berlin Infrared Nanosatellite) was launched in SpaceX’s Transporter-2 mission on 30 June 2021, along with 87 other satellites. With such a large number of spacecraft in the mission, it is difficult to identify the objects until weeks after launch. For example,  for a previous mission from TU Berlin without a GNSS receiver, it took 12 days to identify it. For TUBIN, equipped with a GNSS receiver however, a fix was obtained less than 4 hours after spacecraft separation [1]. The first orbit was determined based on GPS data and sent to the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) network for tracking but was lost due to sparse SLR data, indicating errors in initial orbit determination. Interestingly, the TUB was lost from the ILRS network between Jan-Apr 2022 due to similar reasons. [1] "Initial Tracking, Fast Identification in a Swarm and Combined SLR and GNSS Orbit Determination of the TUBIN Small Satellite", Clément Jonglez, Julian Bartholomäus, Philipp Werner, and Enrico Stoll, Aerospace 2022, 9(12), 793; https://lnkd.in/gQ9pJ_iz