Maeve Doyle
The Educational Irish Research Satellite, known as EIRSAT-1 is a 2U (1U = 10x10x10 cm^3) CubeSat being developed by an interdisciplinary student-led team at University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland. Set to be Ireland’s first satellite, the primary objectives of the EIRSAT-1 project are educational and focus on enhancing the capabilities of the Irish higher education sector in space science and engineering as well as inspiring the next generation of students towards the study of STEM subjects. In addition to these educational objectives, the satellite has 3 payloads on-board. The ENBIO Module (EMOD) is a materials science payload, Wave-Based Control (WBC) is a software-based payload for attitude control and the Gamma-ray Module (GMOD) is a miniaturised detector that will be used to detect radiation from the most luminous electromagnetic explosions in the Universe, known as Gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs). These payloads aim to provide the first in-orbit demonstration of new technologies to demonstrate their use on larger missions as well as to highlight the capabilities of CubeSats, and constellations of CubeSats, for conducting space-based research. The design, build, test, and launch of the EIRSAT-1 satellite are supported by the Education Office of the European Space Agency (ESA), under the 2nd round of the Fly Your Satellite! (FYS!) programme. The EIRSAT-1 team was one-of-six student teams selected to participate in this round of the programme in 2017. As part of this opportunity, selected CubeSat teams obtain access to state-of-the-art test facilities, receive guidance from ESA satellite experts and, if project milestones are achieved, are awarded a launch opportunity. This poster will provide an overview of the EIRSAT-1 mission, including details on the satellite, the team building it and the FYS! Programme.
The Educational Irish Research Satellite, 'EIRSAT-1' is a 2U CubeSat. CubeSats are small satellites measuring in units of 10×10×10 cm^3 (i.e. 1U). EIRSAT-1 is being developed by a student-led team at University College Dublin (UCD) and is set to be Ireland’s very first satellite. The project is supported the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) Fly Your Satellite! (FYS!) programme and is 1-of-6 CubeSat projects that were selected in 2017 to participate in the 2nd round of FYS!.
As part of FYS!, teams receive support from satellite experts, gain access to state-of-the-art CubeSat test facilities and, if certain milestones are achieved, are awarded a launch opportunity.
Aims:
The EIRSAT-1 mission is driven by scientific and educational aims. These aims focus on improving the capabilities of the Irish higher education sector in space science and engineering, as well as inspiring the next generation of students to study STEM subjects.
Science:
EIRSAT-1 will perform the first in-orbit demonstration of 3 experiments.
1) Wave Based Control (WBC) is a software-based experiment to test a novel attitude (i.e. spacecraft orientation) control algorithm, to demonstrate its capabilities for use on larger spacecraft.
2) The ENBIO Module (EMOD) consists of 4 coated panels placed on the exterior of the spacecraft to test the performance of ENBIO’s ‘SolarWhite’ and ‘SolarBlack’ thermal management coatings. SolarBlack is currently in space on ESA’s Solar Orbiter mission. However, EIRSAT-1 will take the first measurements on the performance of the coatings in Low Earth Orbit.
3) The final experiment on EIRSAT-1 is known as the Gamma-ray Module (GMOD). This payload is a miniaturised gamma-ray detector that will be used to detect light from the most energetic explosions in the Universe, known as Gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs). GMOD will act as a technology pathfinder for future scientific missions and will show the capabilities of CubeSats, as well as constellations of CubeSats, for conducting GRB research.
Building a Spacecraft:
The teams participating in FYS! are involved in all aspects of their mission, from initial design to in-orbit operations. As a result, students develop space-relevant skills and expertise across all stages of mission development. This is particularly important for the aims of the EIRSAT-1 mission. As Ireland’s first satellite, EIRSAT-1 is sowing the seed for the growth of the Irish space sector, by building capacity in systems engineering, flight software, environmental testing and spacecraft operations, paving the way for future innovative missions.
My Role:
As part of my PhD programme, I am the lead Flight Software and Operations Developer for EIRSAT-1. Flight software is designed to control the behaviour of the spacecraft when in-orbit. Spacecraft operations define, in step-by-step procedures, how to communicate and control the spacecraft via this software. A key objective of my role is to improve the reliability of spacecraft through software testing. To achieve this, an important aspect of my job is to learn from CubeSat teams with in-orbit experience, to build knowledge on the potential mission risks and how to avoid them.
The EIRSAT-1 Team:
The team is made up of students and staff from the Physics, Engineering, Computer Science and Maths departments at UCD. Students contribute through their masters/PhD research, for taught module credits, or as a volunteer. Members of the EIRSAT-1 team are driven by a shared passion for space and science, as well as inclusion and equality in STEM. The EIRSAT-1 team strongly promote interest in STEM and the idea that “It takes every sort of person to build a satellite” (David Murphy, EIRSAT-1 Systems Engineer) through regular outreach activities.
Find out more about EIRSAT-1 on social media (@EIRSAT1), on the website www.eirsat1.ie or contact the team at eirsat1@gmail.com