Geoscan is a developer and manufacturer of compact space platforms in the CubeSat form factor for the purposes of Earth remote sensing.
The 16U CubeSat produced by Geoscan, equipped with a high-resolution camera, allows the end user to obtain images in the visible (panchromatic) and/or visible and near-infrared (multispectral) wavelength ranges with a linear resolution of 3 m/pixel from an altitude of 375 km (4 m/pixel from an altitude of 500 km) and a nadir swath of 9.2 km (12 km).
The spacecraft is equipped with a positioning and stabilization system, which includes a set of sensors and actuators, allowing the specified image characteristics to be achieved.
For the rapid transmission of data to Earth, the spacecraft is equipped with a high-speed transmitter with a bandwidth of 250 Mbps.
The implemented technical solutions make it possible to increase the active lifespan of the spacecraft in orbit to 5 years.
Geoscan 16U
The platform is a spacecraft (satellite) of the CubeSat 16U form factor with free volume for payload. It provides power supply, control, positioning, and stabilization of the satellite, as well as its two-way communication with the ground station. The platform is designed to operate in a low Earth orbit at an altitude of 400–600 km.
Geoscan 16U satellite platform
- 20 kg — assembled mass
- 30 kg — max. mass with payload
- 251.3x251.3x454 mm — dimensions in folded state
Specifications of Geoscan 16U
| Physical features | |
| Assembled weight (without payload) | 20 kg |
| Dimensions folded (with separation system elements retracted) | 251.3x251.3x454 mm (251.3x251.3x512 mm with Tuna Can) |
| System bus voltage | 10.5…12.6 V |
| On-board bus interface | 2 x CAN, UART |
| Memory capacity | 13 x FRAM 8 Mbit, 1 x MRAM 16 Mbit, 3 x NOR Flash 512 Mbit, 2 x SPI NOR 2 Gbit |
| Type of solar panels | gallium arsenide |
| Peak power generated by the solar panels | 45 W |
| Battery type | 2 x Li-Ion 3S 10,500 mAh |
| Battery capacity | 2 x 120 W·h |
| UHF communication radio channel | half-duplex, frequency range 400–403 MHz, 2-GFSK (option: convolutional coding 1/2), speed 2400, 9600 (downlink), 57,600 bps (uplink) |
| S-band communication radio channel | half-duplex, frequency range 2–2.3 GHz, QPSK (option: convolutional coding 1/2), speed 2 Mbps |
| X-band communication radio channel | simplex (downlink), frequency range 8–8.4 GHz, DVB-S2 modulations: BPSK, QPSK, 8PSK, 16APSK, 32APSK, coding: LDPC + BCH 1/4, 1/3, 2/5, 1/2, 3/5, 2/3, 3/4, 4/5, 5/6, 6/7, 8/9, 9/10, speed 250 Mbps |
| Maximum transmitter power | 32 dBm |
| UHF antenna type | turnstile |
| S-band antenna type | patch |
| X-band antenna type | antenna array |
| Positioning system | 2 x star tracker, 2 x three-axis magnetometer, 2x3 sun sensor, inertial measurement unit (fiber-optic gyroscopes, accelerometers), 2 x GNSS receiver |
| Positioning system | magnetic coils, reaction wheels, thruster |
| Stabilization modes | B-Dot, single-axis positioning, three-axis positioning |
| Positioning accuracy (3σ) | up to 0.1˚ |
| Stabilization accuracy (3σ) | up to 0.005 ˚/s |
| Power supply available to payload | regulated 3.3…24 V / 2 A, unregulated 10.5…12.6 V / 2A |
| Payload interface | CAN, configurable LVDS (other options available upon request) |
| Available maximum payload power (depending on the specific orbit) | up to 50 W |