Session
Technical Session III: Command, Control & Communications
Abstract
This paper provides the information of the conceptual design of MINISTAR and presents the major features of this small spacecraft, able to support geostationary missions for satellite communications. MINISTAR is a sun pointing satellite, with despun antenna provided with momentum wheels to achieve gyroscopic stiffness along the pitch axis, maintained orthogonal to the geosynchronous orbit. Thrusters supply the attitude stabilization for yaw and roll axes and station keeping maneuvers. An unified propulsion system is adopted, with helium pressurized bipropellant. The system makes use of monomethyhl hydrazine as propellant and nitrogen tetroxide as oxidizer. Large autonomy is provided by the on-board system management. The communications' payload power/mass ranges from 200 W/50 Kg to 600 W/100 Kg allowing payloads with volume of 0.13 m3 and a maximum antenna diameter of 1.8 m. MINISTAR can be launched as co-passenger by ARIANE or TITAN.
MINISTAR: A Small Spacecraft for GEO Missions
This paper provides the information of the conceptual design of MINISTAR and presents the major features of this small spacecraft, able to support geostationary missions for satellite communications. MINISTAR is a sun pointing satellite, with despun antenna provided with momentum wheels to achieve gyroscopic stiffness along the pitch axis, maintained orthogonal to the geosynchronous orbit. Thrusters supply the attitude stabilization for yaw and roll axes and station keeping maneuvers. An unified propulsion system is adopted, with helium pressurized bipropellant. The system makes use of monomethyhl hydrazine as propellant and nitrogen tetroxide as oxidizer. Large autonomy is provided by the on-board system management. The communications' payload power/mass ranges from 200 W/50 Kg to 600 W/100 Kg allowing payloads with volume of 0.13 m3 and a maximum antenna diameter of 1.8 m. MINISTAR can be launched as co-passenger by ARIANE or TITAN.
