 Satellite in deployed configuration | |
| Mission type | Lunar Orbiter |
|---|---|
| Operator | SUPARCO |
| COSPAR ID | 2024-083C |
| SATCATno. | 59629 |
| Website | www |
| Mission duration | 2-6 months |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | |
| Manufacturer | |
| Launch mass | 9.0 kg (19.8 lb)[3] |
| Dry mass | 6.5 kg (14 lb)[3] |
| Power | 139.2watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 3 May 2024 (2024-05-03) 09:27UTC[4] |
| Rocket | Long March 5 Y8 |
| Launch site | Wenchang,China |
| Deployed from | Chang'e 6 Orbiter |
| Deployment date | 8 May 2024, 08:14 UTC[5] |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Selenocentric |
| Periapsis altitude | 200 kilometres (120 mi) |
| Apoapsis altitude | 8,600 kilometres (5,300 mi) |
| Period | 720 minutes |
| Instruments | |
| 2 Cameras of one mega pixels (1280 × 720) mounted on opposite X panels | |
ICUBE-Q or ICUBE-QAMAR (Urdu:آئی کیوب-قمر) is a Pakistani lunarremote sensingnanosatellite and one of the four international payloads of theChang'e 6lunarsample-return mission. It is a joint venture between theInstitute of Space Technology (IST),Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and the Intelligent Satellite Technology Center ofShanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), under the framework ofAsia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO).[6][7][3][8] It isPakistan's first deep-space mission.[9][10]
In 2019, theChina National Space Administration (CNSA) announced opportunities for payloads in its upcoming lunar sample-return mission ofChang'e 6; the space agency had a slot for payloads weighing less than 10 kg in its orbiting spacecraft.[11] The CNSA announced in 2022 that it will carry scientific instruments fromFrance,Italy andSweden on the Chang'e-6 mission's lander along with aPakistani payload on the orbiter.[7][12] Pakistan's Institute of Space Technology (IST) had answered the call with a proposal for a lunarCubeSat named "ICUBE-Qamar" (ICUBE-Q) and it was selected after a rigorous evaluation. The design and development of ICUBE-Q was a collaborative effort between Institute of Space Technology (IST), Pakistan's national space agency SUPARCO, and China'sShanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). IST has been developing several CubeSat in the same series of whichiCube-1 was successfully launched in 2013.[7][13][14]
The design of satellite was carried out at Space Systems Lab of Institute of Space Technology. The development was carried out jointly in the Intelligent Satellite Technology Center of School of Aeronautics and Astronautics atShanghai Jiao Tong University. The satellite called locally as "SJTU Siyuan 2" had to integrate multiple functions within limited space and mass, including energy supply, communication systems and the scientific experiment equipment. To overcome the gravitational disturbances, strong radiation expostures, temperature fluctuations and threat of lunar dust, the spacecraft was incorporated with multi-sensor fusion technology, multi-layer shielding and advanced thermal control technology to ensure its stable operation.[15][16] SJTU had previously launched its first student satellite APSCO-SSS-2A (SJTU Siyuan 1) in collaboration with Institute of Space Technology Pakistan (IST) in October 2021.[17][18]
The overall project consists of three main parts: the satellite itself, the separation mechanism (which includes the power control box) and the mounting bracket.[7] The on-orbit fault diagnosis algorithm enables the satellite to automatically detect and diagnose possible system faults. The spacecraft also features intelligenttask scheduling strategy.[3][16]
ICUBE-Q was integrated withChang'e 6 orbiter after successful qualification tests at SUPARCO and SJTU.[7] On 3 May 2024 the satellite was launched onLong March 5 Y8 rocket fromWenchang Space Launch Site.
The satellite was deployed from theChang'e 6 lunar orbiter stack in at 08:14 UTC (13:14 PKT) on 8 May 2024 and had undergone testing for the first few days with the first images being expected around 15-16 May 2024.[19]
The mission objectives include obtaining detailed images of the lunar surface and conducting intelligent on-orbit data processing of images, obtaininglunar magnetic field data and establish lunar magnetic field model and verifying new technologies such asnanosatellite-level deep space lunar-ground communications and low-cost deep space exploration based on micro-nano satellites.[3][7]
The satellite transmitted its first images back to Earth on 11 May 2024 captured from a distance of 200 kilometres from the Moon.[20]
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