F-1 (satellite)

Not to be confused with FR-1 (satellite).

F-1
Flight Model of F-1 satellite
Mission typeTechnology demonstration
OperatorFPT University/Uppsala University
COSPAR ID2012-038E (1998-067CR)[1]
SATCAT no.38855
Mission durationFailed to contact ground
100 days (planned)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeCubeSat
ManufacturerFPT University
Launch mass1 kg (2.2 lb)
Dimensions10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm (1U)
Start of mission
Launch date21 July 2012, 02:06:18 UTC[2]
RocketH-IIB F3
Launch siteTanegashima, Yoshinobu LC-Y2
ContractorMitsubishi Heavy Industries
Deployed fromISS Kibō
Delivered by Kounotori 3
Deployment date4 October 2012,
15:44:15.297 UTC
Entered serviceFailed to contact ground
End of mission
Decay date9 May 2013[3]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination51.65°

F-1 mission patch

F-1 is a CubeSat built by FSpace laboratory at FPT University, in Hanoi, Vietnam, in partnership with Angstrom Space Technology Center (ASTC), Uppsala University, Sweden and Nanoracks LLC, United States. Its mission is to train young engineers and students about aerospace engineering and evaluate an advanced three-axis magnetometer, Spin-Dependent Tunneling Magnetometer (SDTM) designed in Sweden by ASTC.[4]

F-1 was launched on 21 July 2012 and delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Kounotori 3 (HTV-3) along with the RAIKO, WE WISH, Niwaka and TechEdSat-1 cubesats. Then, on 4 October 2012, it was deployed into orbit from the ISS using the JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) which was attached to the Kibō module's robotic arm.[5][6]

As of 2 November 2012, F-1 failed to confirm communication after the orbital deployment.[7]

CubeSats deployed to orbit from the International Space Station on 4 October 2012 (from left: TechEdSat-1, F-1 and Niwaka).

Hardware

  • Structure: aluminium alloy T-6061
  • Power supply: body-mounted solar cells, rechargeable Li-Polymer battery
  • PIC16 and PIC18 micro-controllers
  • Yaesu VX-3R handheld transceivers
  • C328 low-resolution camera
  • Temperature sensors
  • Three-axis magnetometer (ASTC)
  • 2-meter band Dipole Antenna
  • 70-cm band Dipole Antenna

Specifications

F-1 and companion CubeSats at Tsukuba Space Center, June 2012
  • Size: 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm (1U CubeSat)
  • Mass: 1 kg
  • Communication: 2 independent radios using amateur radio Very high frequency (VHF) and Ultra high frequency (UHF) bands, transmission speed 1200 bit/s; AFSK and PWM Morse code modulation, KISS protocol
  • Payload: low resolution C328 camera (640 × 480 maximum resolution, 8 bit color)
  • Sensors: temperature sensors and three-axis magnetometer
  • Targeted orbit lifetime: at least 3 months on orbit (depend on release altitude from the ISS)

Communication subsystem and Packet format

Memorial pins on F-1 resize

1. Backup UHF channel (only operational in daylight):

  • Frequency: 437.485 MHz
  • Modulation: Narrow FM
  • Power: about 0.2 watt RF output
  • Antenna: half-wave dipole
  • Beacon interval: 20 seconds duration, repeated every 90 seconds

Pulse-Width-Modulation Morse code telemetry beacon

No1 Data Description Size (bits) Size (chars)
1 F-1's callsign "XV1VN" 5
2 OBC1 reset count Number of OBC1's reset since the beginning 8
3 Temperature 1 °C (temperature inside F-1, OBC board) 8 5
4 Temperature 2 °C (temperature outside F-1, Y- side) 8
5 Checksum bit 0 if summary of items #2 to #4 is even, 1 if it is odd 1
Total 10

2. Main VHF channel (operational during night time but may be turned on in daylight later)

  • Frequency: 145.980 MHz
  • Modulation scheme: AFSK/FM
  • Power: 1.0 watt RF output
  • Antenna: half-wave dipole
  • Baud rate: 1200 bit/s
  • Telemetry and interval: one burst of 3 telemetry packets in KISS format every 30 seconds (interval configurable)

F-1's KISS packet format

No Data Description Size (bit)
1 Date time Date: dd/mm/y: 5/4/3=12 bits
Time: hh/mm/ss: 5/6/6=17 bits		 29
2 Battery voltage Battery voltage multiplied by 100 (divide by 100 to get actual value) 11
3 Solar cells voltage Solar cells voltage multiplied by 10 (divide by 10 to get actual value) 8
4 Temperature 1 °C (side 1, Y+) 8
5 Temperature 2 °C (side 2, Y-) 8
6 Temperature 3 °C (side 3, X-) 8
7 Temperature 4 °C (side 4, Z+) 8
8 Temperature 5 °C (side 5, Z-) 8
9 Temperature 6 °C (side 6, X+) 8
10 Temperature 7 °C (inside side 5, Z-) 8
11 Temperature 8 °C (inside, under VX-3R1) 8
Total 112 bits = 14 bytes

Note:

  • F-1 periodically sends a burst of 3 telemetry packets with the same content, to avoid packet loss
  • Time in UTC, 24 hours format
  • Year count starting from 2012 (2012 equals 0, 2013 equals 1 and so on...)
  • Battery voltage reading is accurate to 0.01 volt, values are multiplied by 100. Divide by 100 to get actual value.
  • Solar cells voltage reading is accurate to 0.10 volt, values are multiplied by 10. Divide by 10 to get actual value.
  • Temperature readings from sensors, will be added with 100 before transmission to ensure a positive number so please subtract 100 to get actual value
  • 112 bits, divided into 14 bytes

References

  1. ^ "Display: F-1 2012-038E". NASA. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ Bergin, Chris (20 July 2012). "Japanese H-IIB launches HTV-3 to the International Space Station". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Trajectory: F-1 2012-038E". NASA. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ Gunter, Dirk Krebs (28 January 2020). "F-1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  5. ^ 大塚実 (25 January 2012). "JAXA、宇宙ステーションから超小型衛星を放出できる装置をプレス公開" (in Japanese). mynavi.jp. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  6. ^ 「きぼう」日本実験棟からの小型衛星放出ミッション (in Japanese). JAXA. 5 October 2012. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Attempt to recover the F-1 Amateur Radio CubeSat". 3 November 2012. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
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