UoSAT-12 satellite
Encyclopedia
UoSAT-12, the twelfth satellite in the University of Surrey
series, was designed and built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd
(SSTL). It was launched to low Earth orbit
on 21 April 1999.
UoSAT-12 was an experimental mission used to demonstrate and test a number of new technologies. Imaging cameras and a high-speed 1 Mbit/s S-band downlink (the MERLION experiment) were tested. An Internet Protocol
stack was uploaded to the satellite, allowing experiments in extending the Internet to space to be made by NASA Goddard as part of its Operating Missions as Nodes on the Internet (OMNI) effort.
These now-proven technologies were later adopted by SSTL in the design of its Disaster Monitoring Constellation
satellites.
University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a university located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey in the South East of England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was previously situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology...
series, was designed and built by 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). It was launched to low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
on 21 April 1999.
UoSAT-12 was an experimental mission used to demonstrate and test a number of new technologies. Imaging cameras and a high-speed 1 Mbit/s S-band downlink (the MERLION experiment) were tested. An Internet Protocol
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
stack was uploaded to the satellite, allowing experiments in extending the Internet to space to be made by NASA Goddard as part of its Operating Missions as Nodes on the Internet (OMNI) effort.
These now-proven technologies were later adopted by SSTL in the design of its Disaster Monitoring Constellation
Disaster Monitoring Constellation
The Disaster Monitoring Constellation consists of a number of remote sensing satellites constructed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd and operated for the Algerian, Nigerian, Turkish, British and Chinese governments by DMC International Imaging...
satellites.