Engineering news
The satellite, which was worked on by roughly 200 University of Bristol students over the past seven years, is now nearly ready for a potential launch in early 2024 after it successfully underwent extreme testing at the European Space Agency (ESA).
Designed to monitor active volcanoes and make 3D models of their ash clouds, the device could improve our understanding of volcanoes. The information could also save the aviation industry millions of pounds, by helping to keep planes in the air after an eruption.
To do that, the satellite needs to withstand the hostile environment of space, including extreme vibrations during launch, a vacuum, and temperatures ranging from extremely hot on its Sun-facing side to extremely cold on its space-facing side.
Over the past month, eight students have been at the ESA’s CubeSat Support Facility in Transinne, Belgium, which has facilities to simulate the harsh conditions.
The 20x10x10cm payload has an ultra-high definition camera and an infrared camera, which the team said will be capable of tracking and modelling ash clouds in ways that have not been tried before. At the ESA, it was shaken with violent vibrations before being plunged into a thermal vacuum chamber and subjected to extremes of temperature and pressure.
Project manager and aerospace engineering student Tom Snelling said: “I always wanted to be involved in the space industry, but I never dreamt I could be testing at the European Space Agency as a student.
“Being on the project totally changes students. You have undergraduates joining and within a year they are coding satellites and getting real industry experience – it’s really impressive what they can do.”
Testing on the satellite is ongoing before launch.
Professor Lucy Berthoud, professor of space systems engineering at the University of Bristol, said: "Few UK universities build satellites, this payload is really ambitious. If it’s successful it will revolutionise our understanding of ash clouds.
“To do this, the students have been learning hands-on skills to build and test a satellite, which will equip them well for positions in the space industry when they finish."
Want the best engineering stories delivered straight to your inbox? The Professional Engineering newsletter gives you vital updates on the most cutting-edge engineering and exciting new job opportunities. To sign up, click here.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.