Delfi-C3 - CubeSats

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CubeSats

In order to shorten development time and test and verification procedures, the structural design of Delfi-C3 is based on the increasingly popular CubeSat standard, developed by California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) and Stanford University for exactly this purpose. A standard (1U) CubeSat is a cube with sides of 10 cm and a mass of up to 1 kg. Delfi-C3 will be the size of three of these standard CubeSats (3U). To standardize the launch process as well, CalPoly has developed a so-called Poly Picosatellite Orbital Deployer, or P-POD canister, capable of carrying up to three 1U CubeSats or one single 3U CubeSat. Additionally, CalPoly offers launch services to the CubeSat community with the P-POD canister as a piggyback payload on-board a number of different launchers.

To participate in a CubeSat Program, all that is necessary is to design and build a satellite conforming to the CubeSat Standard. Created by California Polytechnic State University and Stanford University, the CubeSat Standard is designed to provide developers with necessary guidelines to interface with the P-POD. The standard describes the outer dimensions, recommendeds materials, highlights restrictions, and describes schedules pertaining to integration and launch.

(source http://cubesat.calpoly.edu )

It is possible to buy so-called cubesat kits, these are off-the-shelve flight qualified cubesats. A typical cubesat kit contains the structure of the cubesat along with a microcontroller and support and development equipment. more information is available online at www.cubesatkit.com.

Newsflash

Delfi-C3 2 year anniversary

Today exactly 2 years ago Delfi-C3 was launched from India on a PSLV rocket at 3:53 AM UTC. Today we celebrate the fact that Delfi-C3 has been in orbit and fully operational for 2 continuous years or 10.809 orbits around the Earth. We would like to thank all the radio amateurs for their continued support and telemetry submission. Happy Birthday Delfi-C3!!

Delfi-C3 on Klokhuis

Delfi-C3 was featured on an episode of the Dutch children's program called Klokhuis (meaning 'apple core'). For more info and the episode itself please check our photo weblog.

In the meantime Delfi-C3 is approaching it's 1-year anniversary. The spacecraft is still performing well and returning science data through our own groundstation and the invaluable amateur radio data collection network.

Delfi-C3 back in science mode

On January 29th, after having been in orbit for 9 months and 1 day, Delfi-C3 has been put back in science mode. This decision was reached because of problems with the on-board transponder, which unfortunately prohibits proper operation of the transponder.