BRICSat-P

BRICSat-P or OSCAR 83 previously known as PSat-B, is a U.S. technology demonstration satellite and an amateur radio satellite for Packet Radio. BRICSat-P (Ballistic Reinforced Communication Satellite) is a low cost 1.5U CubeSat built by the U.S. Naval Academy Satellite Lab in collaboration with George Washington University, that will demonstrate on-orbit operation of a Micro-Cathode Arc Thruster (µCAT) electric propulsion system and carries an amateur communication payload.

BRICSat-P

Mission type	Communications
Operator	U.S. Navy[1]
COSPAR ID	2015-025E[1]
SATCAT no.	40655[1]
Spacecraft properties
Bus	1.5U Cubesat
Manufacturer	George Washington University
Launch mass	1.9 kilograms (4.2 lb)
Dimensions	10 by 10 by 15 centimetres (3.9 in × 3.9 in × 5.9 in)
Start of mission
Launch date	20 May 2015, 15:05 UTC
Rocket	Atlas V 501 AV-054
Launch site	Cape Canaveral SLC-41
End of mission
Disposal	Decommissioned
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Semi-major axis	6,772 kilometres (4,208 mi)[2]
Eccentricity	0.109060[2]
Perigee altitude	327.8 kilometres (203.7 mi)[2]
Apogee altitude	475.5 kilometres (295.5 mi)[2]
Inclination	54.9773°[2]
Period	92.4 minutes[2]
RAAN	320.0527°[2]
Argument of perigee	152.7277°[2]
Mean motion	15.5764196[2]
Epoch	26 June 2018[2]
Transponders
Band	FM

Mission

A four µCAT thruster head system was placed on one side of the spacecraft around the center of gravity and will de-tumble the satellite from its initial expulsion, demonstrate rotational control about 2 axes, and perform a delta-V end of life scenario. Orbital analyses performed indicate that the four thruster-head system is able to fit in a 1.5U Cubesat with low power consumption such that other subsystems such as communication systems can perform normally. Dynamics analysis has been performed in MATLAB Simulink and STK that shows the thrusters can successfully perform the attitude control maneuvers. The project is fully funded and launched on 20 May 2015. [1]

Status

BRICSat-P suffered from power budget problems and has been unable to support all of its primary missions.

Frequencies

BRICSat has 2 amateur communication payload on boards: APRS constellation transponder with downlink on 437.975 MHz and with uplink on 145.825 MHz 1k2 and 9k6 AX25 PSK31 transponder with a 28.120 MHz uplink (2.5 kHz bandwidth) and a UHF FM downlink.[3]

See also

• OSCAR

References

1. "BRICSat-P". NSSDCA. NASA GSFC. Retrieved 2018-06-26. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
2. "BRICSAT-P (NO-83)". n2yo.com. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
3. "Communication and Data Handling System for BRICsat Satellite" (PDF). Tomáš Urbanec, Petr Vágner, Miroslav Kasal, Ondřej Baran (Brno University of Technology). Retrieved 2018-06-26.

External links

• Ballistic Reinforced Satellite (BRICSat) (PDF)