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F-1 (satellite)

F-1, formally known in Vietnam as Vệ tinh nano F-1 (), was a Vietnamese CubeSat built by FSpace laboratory, FPT University in partnership with Angstrom Space Technology Center (ASTC), Uppsala University, Sweden and Nanoracks, an American company.

The satellite

Hardware

  • Structure: aluminium alloy T-6061
  • Power supply: body-mounted solar cells, rechargeable Li-Polymer battery
  • PIC16 and PIC18 micro-controllers
  • Yaesu VX-3R handheld transceivers
  • C328 low-resolution camera
  • Temperature sensors
  • Three-axis magnetometer (ASTC)
  • 2-meter band and 70-cm band dipole antennas

Specifications

  • Size: (1U CubeSat)
  • Mass:
  • Communication: 2 independent radios using amateur radio Very high frequency (VHF) and Ultra high frequency (UHF) bands, transmission speed 1200 bit/s; AFSK and PWM Morse code modulation, KISS protocol
  • Payload: low resolution C328 camera (640 × 480 maximum resolution, 8 bit color)
  • Sensors: temperature sensors and three-axis magnetometer
  • Targeted orbit lifetime: at least 3 months on orbit (depend on release altitude from the ISS)

Communication subsystem and packet format

Backup UHF channel

  • Only operational in daylight
  • Frequency: 437.485 MHz
  • Modulation: Narrow FM
  • Power: about 0.2 watt RF output
  • Antenna: half-wave dipole
  • Beacon interval: 20 seconds duration, repeated every 90 seconds
  • Pulse-Width-Modulation Morse code telemetry beacon, as follows:

Main VHF channel

  • Operational during night time but may be turned on in daylight later
  • Frequency: 145.980 MHz
  • Modulation scheme: AFSK/FM
  • Power: 1.0 watt RF output
  • Antenna: half-wave dipole
  • Baud rate: 1200 bit/s
  • Telemetry and interval: one burst of 3 telemetry packets in KISS format every 30 seconds (interval configurable)

F-1's KISS packet format was as follows:

Note:

  • Periodically, F-1 would send a burst of 3 telemetry packets with the same content, to avoid packet loss
  • Time in UTC, 24 hours format
  • Year count starting from 2012 (2012 equals 0, 2013 equals 1 and so on...)
  • Battery voltage reading is accurate to 0.01 volt, values are multiplied by 100. Divide by 100 to get actual value.
  • Solar cells voltage reading is accurate to 0.10 volt, values are multiplied by 10. Divide by 10 to get actual value.
  • Temperature readings from sensors, will be added with 100 before transmission to ensure a positive number so please subtract 100 to get actual value
  • 112 bits, divided into 14 bytes

Manufacturing process

In late 2008, plans for a small satellite were submitted to FPT Software. In early 2009, FSpace laboratory was founded.

F-1 was initially planned to have a dimension of and a mass of . Later, the satellite's dimension and mass were revised to be and respectively.

Mission

F-1 was planned to train young engineers and students about aerospace engineering and evaluate an advanced three-axis magnetometer, Spin-Dependent Tunneling Magnetometer (SDTM) designed in Sweden by ASTC.

Launch and status

Initially, F-1 was planned to be launched in late 2010.

F-1 was launched on 21 July 2012 and delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Kounotori 3 (HTV-3) along with the RAIKO, WE WISH, Niwaka and TechEdSat-1 cubesats. Then, on 4 October 2012, it was deployed into orbit from the ISS using the JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) which was attached to the Kibō module's robotic arm.

As of 2 November 2012, F-1 failed to confirm communication after the orbital deployment.

F-1 decayed on 9 May 2013.

F-2 satellite project

FSpace laboratory had planned a follow-up mission of F-1, called F-2. The F-2 satellite was expected to participate in the QB50 project, with a planned dimension and mass of and respectively. However, F-2 was no longer listed in the QB50's website. It is unknown whether what happened with F-2, however, the project was possibly cancelled.

References

External links