MSCI’s Role

• Prime Contractor and Systems Engineering
• Attitude Control and Power Subsystems
• Mission Operations

Principal Investigator — Prof. Jaymie Matthews, Prof. of Astrophysics, University of British Columbia (UBC)

Customer — The Canadian Space Agency

Purpose — To study the micro oscillations of stars

Subcontractors

• UBC Dept. Of Physics and Astronomy (Instrument, Science Planning)
• University of Toronto Space Flight Laboratory (Structure, Thermal, On-Board Computer, Telemetry & Telecommand, Ground Stations)
• Spectral Applied Research (Instrument Design)
• Ceravolo Optical Systems (Telescope Optics Fabrication)
• Amsat (Consulting – Satellite and Ground Station Design)

Science Instrument

• Optics: 15-cm aperture f/5.88 Maksutov telescope with a 0.86 deg unvignetted FOV
• Two (2) 1024x1024 frame-transfer CCDs, focal plane passively cooled to < -40C

Microsatellite Bus Features

• Size = 66x65x20 cm, Mass = 57 kg
• Orbit: 750-900 km altitude, circular, dawn/dusk sun-synch (i=98 deg, 6 PM ascending node)
• Attitude Control: less than 1 arcsec pointing error using a star tracker, Sun sensors, magnetometers, reaction wheels and magnetic torque rods
• Power: 30-35W orbit-average power, using silicon solar arrays on all 6 sides, NiCd batteries
• On-Board Computers: 1 NEC/V53 housekeeping processor, four 80-MIPS DSPs for attitude control, CCD read-out and science data processing, 48 Mbytes RAM-disc
• Telemetry & Telecommand: S-band packet-protocol uplink and downlink, 9.6 kbps up, 38.4 kbps down, 100-120 minutes/day contact time via 2 ground stations.

MSCI applies a comprehensive approach to Product Assurance for microsatellites based upon the best of practices for all facets of full space qualified programs, but tailored to provide cost and schedule effective results for our customers. Our extensive track record of success in orbit speaks for itself.