FASat-Alfa
Encyclopedia
FASat-Alfa was to become the first Chile
an satellite, and was constructed under a Technology Transfer Program between the Chilean Air Force
(FACH) and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd
(SSTL) of the United Kingdom. The primary goal of the Program was to obtain for Chile the basic scientific and technological experience required to continue with more advanced steps. The purposes of the FASat-Alfa mission are to create a group of engineers with aerospace experience, to have the first Chilean satellite in orbit, and to install and operate the Mission Control Station (ECM-Santiago) in Chile.
There were two satellites: FASat-Alfa and FASat-Bravo. The Alfa satellite was launched on 31 August 1995 on TSYCLON from Plesesk. Its orbit was intended to be 682 x 651 km, inclined at 82.53 degrees; however, the spacecraft failed to separate from the failed Ukrainian satellite it was attached to.
The Bravo satellite was launched on 10 July 1998, on TSYCLON from Baikonur. Its intended orbit was 682 x 651 km, inclined at 82.53 degrees. It was to operate 13,000 orbits until 2002.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an satellite, and was constructed under a Technology Transfer Program between the Chilean Air Force
Chilean Air Force
The Chilean Air Force is the air force of Chile, a branch of the Chilean military.-History:The first step towards the current FACh was taken by Teniente Coronel Pedro Pablo Dartnell, when he founded the Servicio de Aviación Militar de Chile on December 20, 1910, being trained as a pilot in France...
(FACH) and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, or SSTL, is a spin-off company of the University of Surrey, now fully owned by EADS Astrium, that builds and operates small satellites. Its satellites began as amateur radio satellites known by the UoSAT name or by an OSCAR designation...
(SSTL) of the United Kingdom. The primary goal of the Program was to obtain for Chile the basic scientific and technological experience required to continue with more advanced steps. The purposes of the FASat-Alfa mission are to create a group of engineers with aerospace experience, to have the first Chilean satellite in orbit, and to install and operate the Mission Control Station (ECM-Santiago) in Chile.
There were two satellites: FASat-Alfa and FASat-Bravo. The Alfa satellite was launched on 31 August 1995 on TSYCLON from Plesesk. Its orbit was intended to be 682 x 651 km, inclined at 82.53 degrees; however, the spacecraft failed to separate from the failed Ukrainian satellite it was attached to.
The Bravo satellite was launched on 10 July 1998, on TSYCLON from Baikonur. Its intended orbit was 682 x 651 km, inclined at 82.53 degrees. It was to operate 13,000 orbits until 2002.
Characteristics
- Bus: SSTL microbus, fifth generation
- Owner: Fuerza Aérea De Chile (Air Force), Chile
- Payloads: Ozone Monitoring Experiment, Remote sensing, Data Transfer Experiment, Advanced Digital Signal Processing Payload, Orbital Positioning via GPS, Educational support
External links
- Official FASat-Alfa project page (In spanish, with some articles in english)
- Spanish Wikipedia article