| Mission type | Technology |
|---|---|
| Website | www |
| Mission duration | 1 year (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | 3UCubeSat |
| Manufacturer | Surrey Satellite Technology /Astrium |
| BOL mass | 3 kg (6.6 lb)[1] |
| Dimensions | Sail: 5 m × 5 m Bus: 10 cm x 10 cm x 34 cm |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | TBD |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
CubeSail is a proposednanosatellite project by theSurrey Space Centre (SSC) in England. The spacecraft is to be a 3UCubeSat propelled by a 25 m²solar sail. The project is financed and technically supported by aerospace manufacturersAstrium andSurrey Satellite Technology. It is designed for operation in low Earth orbit, serving as an atmospheric drag brake to facilitate the removal of satellite debris.[2]
The first successful solar sail spacecraft was the JapaneseIKAROS mission, launched on 21 May 2010.[3][4][5]
The project is further developing technologies first tested on theirSTRaND-1 CubeSat, launched in February 2013.[6] CubeSail will deploy a 25 m2solar sail, which will be used to demonstrate the propulsive effect ofsolar radiation pressure and the de-orbiting capabilities of the sail as a drag augmentation device.[7][8]
CubeSail will be a three-axis stabilised solar sail satellite.[6]Attitude control (orientation) is necessary because the orientation of the sail relative to the Sun direction will determine the propulsion force. Full three-axis attitude control will be performed by means of a centre of mass/centre of pressure offset technique, complemented by threemagnetorquers and areaction wheel.[6] Attitude control can be enhanced by using thesolar radiation pressure force on the sail to generate rotation torques.[9] The radiation pressure can also be used to induce a change of altitude as well as orbital inclination.[9]
The spacecraft will be deployed in a low Earth orbit (800 km altitude) on aSun-synchronous orbit.[9]
The CubeSail nanosatellite is a CubeSat of the 3U format.[10] Thesatellite bus occupies approximately 1U, and the remaining 2U house the two-axis translation stage and sail-deployment subsystem.[10]
The objectives of the CubeSail mission are to demonstrate the concept of solar sail propulsion of a 3-axis stabilised 25 m2 solar sail for one year while inlow Earth orbit; and to demonstrate the use of gossamer structures (very light gauze-like fabric) as a drag augmentation device for satellite de-orbiting.[6]
