"Mission Impossible"? Not so! The project entitled SOMP ("Student's Oxygen Measurement Project"), which spans several semesters, seems challenging. However, the results so far are encouraging. A miniature satellite, completely designed and assembled at the Technische Universität Dresden, is to be launched in 2010. The whole mission is in the hands of students from several of the university's faculties and institutes. SOMP aims to give the participating students the possibility of applying their theoretical knowledge in an interdisciplinary field, and to provide them with experiences valuable to their later professional careers.

Prof. Stefanis Fasoulas (Institute of Aerospace Engineering) is impressed how smoothly the planning process has gone. "It took less than four months for our application to the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) to be approved", he is pleased to state. The financing is therefore secured for the moment.

Mechanical engineering students with a focus on aerospace engineering had already begun to gather ideas on building their own satellite in 2006. A group of 10 students from the different fields of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science and physics, then began to collaborate. The result is a concept for the construction of a satellite 10 centimetres in length and with fold-out antennas, which is to orbit the earth at a height of 450 km where it will measure concentrations of oxygen atoms. It is to function at temperatures that range from -40°C (-40°F) to 80°C (176°F). The energy needed for the measuring and communication systems is provided by solar cells. Data - up to 60 kilobytes per hour - is then sent by radio to Dresden.

Work on different aspects of the project will qualify as diploma theses. In that way, the students will take direct responsibility for the planning of such items as the power supply, the solar cells or the radio technology of the satellite. At 1.8 kg, the satellite is currently not within the allowed maximum weight; but Stefanie Kohl says, "we are optimistic that in the end it will be within the permitted 1,000 grams".

Alexander Fischer, responsible for the communication technology, discusses different possibilities with his fellow students. "At the moment, there are three possible locations for the earth station; among them, there is the Barkhausen Building in our own university. The Radebeul Observatory would be a second possibility, even if we would have to invest into a tracking antenna system there. And we are able to communicate via radio with other satellites from the Strehlener Platz, which would gain us some experience. The exact specifications of the whole communication system are to be fixed next semester."

The students hope for support from the local amateur radio community. Collaboration with the amateur radio workshop at the Martin Andersen Nexö Gymnasium has been planned. "In case of need - for instance if we do not get a signal - we will release our identification to other research institutes", says Fischer.

The project start meeting will take place on July 14th, 3 p.m. at the Institute for Aerospace Engineering; a representative of the DLR will be present. Students willing to participate are invited to join - a lot of work awaits the students before the launch: prototypes have to be designed, the batteries have to be tested under extreme conditions, and a solar measuring station has to be built. Prof. Fasoulas is delighted about the engagement of his collaborators so far: "The funding from the DLR is, of course, greatly appreciated. Now it is up to us who have to build the satellite and bring the project and the mission to a successful conclusion."

Author: Martin Morgenstern
 
More Information:
Prof. Stefanos Fasoulas
Technische Universität Dresden
Fakultät Maschinenwesen
Institut für Luft- und Raumfahrttechnik
01062 Dresden
Tel. 0351 463-38091