Supernova-Beta (TechSat 1)

Supernova-Beta [Pumpkin]

Supernova-Beta, also known as TechSat 1, is picosatellite built as prototype of the Pumpkin Inc. Supernova 6U CubeSat bus.

The Supernova-Beta mission is a test flight of multiple subsystems on the SUPERNOVA 6U bus developed by Pumpkin, Inc, including structure, EPS, GPS, ADACS, CDH, and imagers.

The Spacecraft contained three communications systems. One is transmit-only while the other two are transceivers:

• Tx-only beacon radio operating at 435 MHz, 1200 bps AFSK modulation, output power 2 W. Used to transmit basic health and status data every 30 seconds and operate worldwide, continuously, except if commanded to be shutdown (via commands sent on Globalstar or S-band). Uses patch antenna with 150° beam (half-power width), peak gain 2.5 dBi.
• Simplex Globalstar modem designed for satellite-to-satellite communication with the Globalstar commercial satellite network. Used for continuous TT&C purposes worldwide. Tx on 1610 MHz, Rx on 2483.5 MHz; modulation is CDMA. Will use patch antenna with near-180° beam.
• S-band transceiver, inactive except when passing over ground stations. Used for high-bandwidth data transfers over ground stations. Tx on 2257.9 MHz, OQPSK modulation, 1.0 Mbps data rate, 4 W output power. Rx on 2097.7 MHz, BPSK modulation, 64 kbps data rate. Will use patch antenna with 70° beam (half-power width).

The spacecraft contained an active attitude control system. All antennas are patch designs, fixed-body mounted, nadir-facing.

Supernova-Beta carried two hosted payloads:

• One was a 2U imaging payload built by Transparent Sky, which was called InFocus to provide near diffraction-limited raw image resolution.
• The other was a 1U payload called SkyCube 2 by Southern Stars Group, which was intended to be a reflight of SkyCube. As an additional payload, it carried the Elysium-Star 1 space burial payload for Elysium Space, which contained a number of capsules with cremated ashes.

The satellite was to be launched on the maiden flight of the Super-Strypi rocket from Hawaii into a 415 km × 490 km polar orbit, but was lost in a launch failure.