A CubeSat made from three standardized 10-cm (4-inch) boxes, TRISAT-R is Slovenias 2nd area objective, which flew on Europes inaugural Vega-C launch in 2015 to the reasonably inhospitable environment of medium-Earth orbit, at 6000 km (3,700 miles) up. The objectives orbital course takes it right through the heart of the ionosphere– an electrically active layer of Earths environment– in addition to the inner Van Allen radiation belt.
The side cover of the TRISAT-R CubeSat determining 10 × 10 cm; and in the middle can be seen its image diode (the white part in the middle) and the camera (the small black dot nearby to the diode, directly towards the top of the image). In the center of the electronic camera you can see the 2 by 2 mm lens of the electronic camera, possessing a 120 degree field of view. The lens is made from clear borosilicate glass offering radiation resistance, and is directly installed on the image sensing unit listed below supplying 320 × 320 pixels. Credit: University of Maribor
This allows TRISAT-R to check a suite of radiation-detection payloads. In addition, the TRISAT-R group embarked a set of tiny electronic cameras, with lenses made from clear borosilicate glass to offer limited radiation resistance, mounted straight onto 320 × 320 pixel image sensors.
Dr. Kramberger includes: “The resulting photo of Earth is very low resolution as these highly miniaturized cameras were not meant to carry out terrestrial imaging, plus TRISAT-R satellite employs magnetorquers for its attitude control, so that accuracy pointing is tough to achieve.
” Our primary interest has actually remained in catching examples of the Black Sun result– prevalent in terrestrial digital imaging, where over-saturation of pixels can cause really intense locations to appear dark. We have been successful in these investigations, but have actually likewise been fortunate enough to acquire images like these.”
ESA supported the manufacturing, assembly and testing of TRISAT-R through the Fly component of its General Support Technology Program, opening up in-orbit presentation opportunities for European business.
Found in its difficult and special orbit, TRISAT-Rs commissioning stage is because of conclude later on this month, incorporating 16 months of effective in-orbit operations.
Credit: University of Maribor
The TRISAT-R CubeSat, geared up with a small electronic camera, recorded an unique picture of Earth from 6,000 km, contributing to ESAs research in medium-Earth orbit and digital imaging effects.
A distant, partly-shadowed Earth, as viewed from a 6,000 km (3,700 mile) elevation orbit. This unusual image was acquired using an extremely miniaturized video camera. It measures simply 2 mm (0.08 inches), which is about the size of the edge of a 20 euro cent coin (or an US nickel). It belongs to a small technology experiment aboard ESAs shoebox-sized TRISAT-R CubeSat.
TRISAT-R job manager Iztok Kramberger of the University of Maribor discusses: “This tiny video camera determining less than two cubic millimeters in size took a photo of an object determining roughly one trillion cubic kilometers– our lovely planet Earth– from countless kilometers away.”
It is part of a minuscule technology experiment aboard ESAs shoebox-sized TRISAT-R CubeSat.
The side cover of the TRISAT-R CubeSat determining 10 × 10 cm; and in the middle can be seen its picture diode (the white part in the middle) and the electronic camera (the small black dot adjacent to the diode, directly towards the top of the image). In the center of the electronic camera you can see the 2 by 2 mm lens of the video camera, having a 120 degree field of view.