Satélite Tecnológico
| Mission type | Earth orbiter |
|---|---|
| Operator | INPE |
| COSPAR ID | F20030822A[1] |
| Mission duration | 6 months (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | INPE |
| Launch mass | 65.0 kilograms (143.3 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | August 25, 2003 (planned) August 23, 2003, 16:30 UTC (Alcântara accident) |
| Rocket | VLS-1 V3 |
| Launch site | Alcântara VLS Pad |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Heliosynchronous |
| Eccentricity | 0 |
| Perigee altitude | 750 kilometres (470 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 750 kilometres (470 mi) |
| Inclination | 15° |
| Period | 100 minutes |
| Epoch | Planned |
The Satélite Tecnológico ("Technologic Satellite" in English) or SATEC, was a microsatellite of scientific applications, designed, developed, built and tested by Brazilian technicians, engineers and scientists working at INPE (National Institute for Space Research).
Features
[edit]The primary objective of SATEC was to test the technological equipment embedded in the VLS-1, providing more information for future applications.
The SATEC scientific satellite had the following characteristics:
- Format: parallelepiped with 61 cm x 66 cm x 66 cm
- Mass: 65 kilograms (143 lb)
- Orbit: Heliosynchronous
- Stabilization: By rotation at 120 rpm
- Precision: 1 degree
- Altitude: 750 kilometers
Payload
[edit]The instrumentation shipped in SATEC was as follows:
- Solar generator: Silicon cells generating 20 W
- Battery: Type NiCd – 5 Ah
- PCU: with linear series technology
- GPS receiver: adapted to the conditions of flight
- Transmitter: S-band with BPSK modulation
Mission
[edit]SATEC, which had an estimated life of 6 months, was lost with UNOSAT in the explosion of the VLS-1 launch vehicle on 23 August 2003 in an explosion three days before the launch date.[2][3] This event came to be known as Accident of Alcantara.
References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Programa SATEC (in Portuguese)
- SATEC Gunter's Space Page