PicSat: A Cubesat Mission for Exoplanetary Transit Detection in 2017

Presenter Information

Vincent Lapeyrere, LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite
Sylvestre Lacour, LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite
Lester David, LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite
Mathias Nowak, LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite
Antoine Crouzier, LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite
G. Schworer, LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite
P. Perrot, LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite
S. Rayane, LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite

Session

Session 3: Next On The Pad 1

Abstract

The PicSat mission is based on a 3U Cubesat architecture, with a payload specifically designed for high precision stellar photometry. The satellite is planned to be launched in September 2017. The main objective of the mission is the continuous monitoring of the brightness of Beta Pictoris.

The Hill Sphere of planet Beta Pictoris b shall pass in front of its host during this period (from April 2017 to February 2018). To be ready on time for this rendez-vous, our philosophy was to focus our resources on the development of the payload and the flight software, where we have the expertise. We subcontracted the design and the realization of the platform and of the Attitude and Determination Control System.

The payload is designed with a 37mm effective aperture and a single pixel avalanche photodiode. A single-mode fiber is used to guide the stellar light from the focal plane to the photodiode. To guarantee photometric precision and payload stabilization, the residual jitter of the three-axis ADCS is complemented with a two-axis piezoelectric actuation system that locks the position of the fiber on the center of the star. The flight software is based on a "L0/L1" dual-level architecture, making use of Gericos, an active object framework developed in-house.

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