Abstract
Delfi-C3 is a 3-unit CubeSat nanosatellite developed at Delft University of Technology by students and staff from the faculty of Aerospace Engineering and the faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science with engineering support from ISIS – Innovative Solutions In Space BThe project started in December 2004 and the satellite was launched on April 28th 2008 with a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle from India. The prime mission objective of Delfi-C3 is to act as a technology test bed for two payloads: Thin Film Solar Cells, as developed by the company Dutch Space, and an Autonomous Wireless Sun Sensor developed by the Dutch research institute TNO, demonstrating on-board wireless sensor capability. The satellite bus implements a number of novel design concepts. One of which is the fact that the satellite does not incorporate a battery for energy storage since neither of the two payloads require operations in eclipse. In this paper, some preliminary flight results of Delfi-C3 are discussed with an emphasis on the overall in-orbit performance of the satellite itself. Furthermore, results characterizing the payload and its operations are presented. Finally, the status and summary of operational results of the distributed ground segment is provided. Delfi-C3 is the first of a series of nanosatellites from Delft University of Technology, designed for technology demonstration, as part of the MISAT research program. An outlook is given to a follow-up mission, which is currently in its conceptual design phase.
Presentation Slides
First Flight Results of the Delfi-C3 Satellite Mission
Delfi-C3 is a 3-unit CubeSat nanosatellite developed at Delft University of Technology by students and staff from the faculty of Aerospace Engineering and the faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science with engineering support from ISIS – Innovative Solutions In Space BThe project started in December 2004 and the satellite was launched on April 28th 2008 with a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle from India. The prime mission objective of Delfi-C3 is to act as a technology test bed for two payloads: Thin Film Solar Cells, as developed by the company Dutch Space, and an Autonomous Wireless Sun Sensor developed by the Dutch research institute TNO, demonstrating on-board wireless sensor capability. The satellite bus implements a number of novel design concepts. One of which is the fact that the satellite does not incorporate a battery for energy storage since neither of the two payloads require operations in eclipse. In this paper, some preliminary flight results of Delfi-C3 are discussed with an emphasis on the overall in-orbit performance of the satellite itself. Furthermore, results characterizing the payload and its operations are presented. Finally, the status and summary of operational results of the distributed ground segment is provided. Delfi-C3 is the first of a series of nanosatellites from Delft University of Technology, designed for technology demonstration, as part of the MISAT research program. An outlook is given to a follow-up mission, which is currently in its conceptual design phase.
