 Engineering model of OPS-SAT, seen on a test bench | |
| Mission type | Technological demonstrator |
|---|---|
| Operator | ESA |
| SATCAT no. | 44878 |
| Website | www |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | 3U CubeSat |
| Manufacturer | Graz University of Technology, Austria |
| Launch mass | 7 kg |
| Dimensions | 96 mm × 96 mm × 290 mm (3.8 in × 3.8 in × 11.4 in) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 18 December 2019 |
| Rocket | Soyuz VS23[2]·[3] |
| Launch site | Centre Spatial Guyanais (Ensemble de Lancement Soyouz) |
| Contractor | Arianespace[4]·[5] |
OPS-SAT was a CubeSat by the European Space Agency (ESA), intended to demonstrate the improvements in mission control capabilities that will arise when satellites can fly more powerful on-board computers. The mission had the objective to break the cycle of "has never flown, will never fly" in the area of satellite control. It was the first CubeSat operated directly by ESA.[1]
The satellite had an experimental computer that is ten times more powerful than traditional ESA on-board computers. This on-board computer provided an experimental platform to run software experiments on board. One innovative concept was the deployment of space software in the form of apps. This concept was enabled by the NanoSat MO Framework (NMF) and allowed Apps to be uploaded to the spacecraft and then started on board. This was a new concept that ESA has successfully demonstrated in space.[6]
OPS-SAT was launched at 08:54:20 UTC on 18 December 2019, exactly twenty-four hours later than originally planned. The satellite deorbited on 22 May 2024.[7] During its descent, ESA collaborated with amateur radio enthusiasts to collect as much data as possible, observing the effects on the satellite as it passed through the Earth's lower atmosphere.[8]
- ^ a b "OPS-SAT". ESA. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
- ^ CHEOPS exoplanet mission meets key milestones en route to 2017 launch. ESA, 11 July 2014
- ^ CHEOPS has arrived in Kourou. Barbara Vonarburg. 16 October 2019
- ^ "CHEOPS will ride on a Soyuz rocket". cheops.unibe.ch. 6 April 2017. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
- ^ CHEOPS - Mission Status & Summary
- ^ Evans, David; Labrèche, Georges; Mladenov, Tom; Marszk, Dominik; Zelenevskiy, Vladimir; Shiradhonkar, Vasundhara (2022). OPS-SAT LEOP and Commissioning: Running a Nanosatellite Project in a Space Agency Context. Small Satellite Conference. Utah State University, Logan, UT. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ ESA Operations [@esaoperations] (May 23, 2024). "OPS-SAT's deorbiting is complete. The final telemetry was received at 21:30 UTC, 22 May, as the satellite passed over Australia. Thank you for helping us gather data during its final orbits. They are now being analysed but already promise to be very interesting" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "OPS-SAT Reentry Tomorrow: Follow Live!". European Space Agency. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.