Session
Technical Session III: Advanced Technologies I
Abstract
The Space Ultra-Low Frequency Radio Observatory (SULFRO) concept is a constellation consisting of a micro-satellite Mothership and 12 nano-satellite Daughters each being equipped with an omni-directional antenna system that enables observing ‘all the sky all the time’ in the 1-100MHz frequency range. The constellation is in a Lissajous or Halo orbit around the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point (L2), in a passive formation flying mode. The Daughters’ three dipole antennas detect low frequency radio waves and transmit the digitized data to the Mothership, where data correlation and digital signal processing are done to reduce the data volume for transmission back to the Earth. This paper presents a concept design of the satellite systems for such a space radio telescope array, using the recent micro- and Nanosatellite technologies and products. A preliminary concept design is presented for the 13 satellites involved in this mission, with brief discussion on the subsystems and technologies involved. Technical issues and potential solutions are discussed and further elaborated for the key technologies that enable such a complex science mission with links to the recent satellite engineering experiences.
SULFRO: a Swarm of Nano-/Micro-Satellite at SE L2 for Space Ultra-Low Frequency Radio Observatory
The Space Ultra-Low Frequency Radio Observatory (SULFRO) concept is a constellation consisting of a micro-satellite Mothership and 12 nano-satellite Daughters each being equipped with an omni-directional antenna system that enables observing ‘all the sky all the time’ in the 1-100MHz frequency range. The constellation is in a Lissajous or Halo orbit around the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point (L2), in a passive formation flying mode. The Daughters’ three dipole antennas detect low frequency radio waves and transmit the digitized data to the Mothership, where data correlation and digital signal processing are done to reduce the data volume for transmission back to the Earth. This paper presents a concept design of the satellite systems for such a space radio telescope array, using the recent micro- and Nanosatellite technologies and products. A preliminary concept design is presented for the 13 satellites involved in this mission, with brief discussion on the subsystems and technologies involved. Technical issues and potential solutions are discussed and further elaborated for the key technologies that enable such a complex science mission with links to the recent satellite engineering experiences.
