BremSat

BremSat 1 [ZARM]

BremSat, a 63 kg German microsatellite was built by the University of Bremen's Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) under sponsorship of the German Space Agency (DARA). It is 12-sided, with 48-cm diameter and height of 52 cm, and was injected into orbit (from a GAS canister) from STS-60 into a 363 × 344 km orbit, inclined at 56.9 degrees. The mission consisted of three phases: microgravity (on board the Shuttle before ejection into orbit), orbital, and re-entry. The scientific objectives were to measure heat conductivity, measure residual acceleration forces, estimate the in-orbit on-board microgravity quality, investigate the density distribution and dynamics of micrometeorites and dust particles in low-Earth orbit, map atomic oxygen, measure the exchange of momentum and energy between the molecular flow and the rotating satellite, and measure pressure and temperature during satellite re-entry. The satellite included a momentum wheel and magnetic coils, a magnetometer, and sun-star sensors. Tracking passes lasted 5-10 minutes and ocurred 5-6 times per day. The spacecraft re-entered 12 February 1995.