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UPESSAT (UPES Nanosatellite Project) Phase I Low Altitude Test Flight of the Prototype Payload was Conducted Successfully
Posted by Dr.Ugur Guven,
21 April 2012
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517 views
The first test of the UPESSAT (University of Petroleum and Energy Studies Nanosatellite) prototype (cube shaped as per regulations of Cubesat design) using a weather balloon and low altitude test was conducted with success. The prototype was taken to an altitude of 900 meters (about 1800 feet) and the Nanosatellite payload sustained flight for a 27 minutes and 14 seconds, while tethered to the weather balloon. During the test flight, several essential information such as temperature, altitude, location, and magnetic fluctuation was measured with in-house circuits designed by our student team. Furthermore, a VGA camera was installed to record the event from the point of view of the prototype satellite. The set of electronic equipment aboard the Nanosatellite include High Resolution Temperature Sensor, Receiver / Transmitter System, Magnetometer for Electromagnetic Field Measurement as well as altimeter for measuring altitude and a GPS for position tracking.
All work done on the construction of the prototype, the making of the electronic circuits, the launching mechanism for the weather balloon, as well as the parachute deployment mechanism was made in house by our students only. The students were assisted by Faculty Members Rajesh Yadav, Pavan Kumar Nanduri, Gurunadh Velidi, and Mr. Krishnan under the coordination of Dr. Ugur GUVEN (UPESSAT Project Coordinator). The full names of the students who participated in the event are attached as a separate Word file.
With the limited equipment and budget available, the Phase I of the project was a success and it generated a lot of enthusiasm in the part of the Aerospace / Avionics students as well as overall in the UPES students who participated and observed the event. Besides Avionics/Aerospace students, students from the Electronics as well as from Power Systems were also involved in the project. It must be stated that projects of this nature are very helpful in allowing the engineering students to test their innovation and creativity. UPESSAT is the first Nanosatellite made in Uttarakhand.
There is a website called www.upessat.co.cc and it has relevant information on nanosatellites as well as on work completed by our students so far on our Nanosatellite project. (If you choose UPESSAT from the above menu in the website, the full reports, proposals and student projects come up). In www.upessat.co.cc site, it is also possible to see the experiments that we will be running.
There will be an upcoming second test flight, in which we will reach an altitude of 5000 meters (5 km). On the final test flight, we will attach a more advanced Nanosatellite prototype to the balloon and take it up to 20 km (the limit of the balloon). At that height, the balloon will burst and the prototype will fall to the ground with the aid of a parachute. We will track it down with a GPS and retrieve the data recorded at such high altitudes. (20 km is well above commercial flights and at that altitude the atmospheric pressure is low and electromagnetic activity and cosmic radiation is high. Theoretically around 20-25 km, the curvature of the Earth can be seen and the dark background of the space is also visible).
It is hoped that the project will reach its completion in about a year and that the first nanosatellte of Uttarakhand will be launched by ISRO for further tests and for retrieval of data.
Please do check www.upessat.co.cc for regular updates
Prof. Dr. Ugur GUVEN
Aerospace Engineer (PhD)
UPESSAT Program Director
http://upes.academia.edu/DrUgurGuven
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