S-Net is a worldwide inter-satellite communications network consisting of four satellites and being operated by the
Technical University of Berlin
The Technical University of Berlin (official name both in English and german: link=no, Technische Universität Berlin, also known as TU Berlin and Berlin Institute of Technology) is a public research university located in Berlin, Germany. It was ...
.
Description
The project has the goal to investigate and demonstrate inter-satellite communication technology within a distributed and autonomously operating
nanosatellite
A small satellite, miniaturized satellite, or smallsat is a satellite of low mass and size, usually under . While all such satellites can be referred to as "small", different classifications are used to categorize them based on mass. Satellites ca ...
network. All satellites are equipped with a
S-Band
The S band is a designation by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for a part of the microwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum covering frequencies from 2 to 4 gigahertz (GHz). Thus it crosses the conventional ...
radio emitter and receiver, which not only enables communication with the ground-based control center but also allows for communication between the individual satellites.
The number of satellites in the network was set to four as this number represents the best cost-benefit-ratio. With four satellites, a total of six independent communication links are possible, while only three are possible with three satellites. Moreover, four is the lowest number that enables multi-hop communication.
The satellites are powered by
solar cells
A solar cell, or photovoltaic cell, is an electronic device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect, which is a physics, physical and Chemical substance, chemical phenomenon.[batteries
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
*Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...]
and have a planned lifetime of one year.
Future applications of the technology may be more effective monitoring of global issues like
climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...
,
disaster management
Emergency management or disaster management is the managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters. Emergency management, despite its name, does not actuall ...
,
maritime systems monitoring and even enable satellite constellations for high-bandwidth
internet access
Internet access is the ability of individuals and organizations to connect to the Internet using computer terminals, computers, and other devices; and to access services such as email and the World Wide Web. Internet access is sold by Internet ...
.
Launch
The four satellites were successfully launched on a
Soyuz-2.1A
Soyuz-2 (GRAU index 14A14) is a modernized version of the Soviet Soyuz rocket. In its basic form, it is a three-stage launch vehicle for placing payloads into low Earth orbit. Compared to the previous versions of the Soyuz, the first-stage bo ...
rocket from Vostochny Site 1S in Russia on 1 February 2018. The launch was originally scheduled for 22 December 2017, however due to the failure of a
Soyuz-2.1B
Soyuz-2 (GRAU index 14A14) is a modernized version of the Soviet Soyuz rocket. In its basic form, it is a three-stage launch vehicle for placing payloads into low Earth orbit. Compared to the previous versions of the Soyuz, the first-stage bo ...
rocket, Roscosmos decided to delay the mission.
The spacecraft were released into orbit at an altitude of approximately 580 kilometers at an interval of 10 seconds. The launch represents the tenth mission of the TU Berlin, sending a total of 16 satellites to space.
See also
*
2018 in spaceflight
This article documents notable spaceflight events during the year 2018. For the first time since 1990, more than 100 orbital launches were performed globally.
Overview
Planetary exploration
The NASA InSight seismology probe was launched ...
*
Iridium satellite constellation
The Iridium satellite constellation provides L band voice and data information Pass (spaceflight), coverage to satellite phones, pagers and integrated transceivers over the entire surface of Earth. Iridium Communications owns and operates the Sa ...
References
External links
TU-Berlin Website
{{Orbital launches in 2018
Spacecraft launched in 2018
2018 in Germany
Technical University of Berlin
Satellites of Germany