Proba-2: technology demonstrations
Proba-2 is demonstrating a large number of new technologies in orbit. These can be split into two groups: those that are an integral part of the satellite platform and those that are for demonstration purposes and are not mission-critical.
Proba-2 uses a platform similar in size to that of Proba-1 to demonstrate yet more advanced technologies:
- a new type of lithium-ion battery, developed by SAFT (FR)
- an advanced data and power management system, containing many new component technologies including the LEON processor developed by QinetiQ Space nv (formerly Verhaert Space, BE)
- combined carbon-fibre and aluminium structural panels, developed by Apco Technologies SA (CH)
- new models of reaction wheels from Dynacon (CA), startrackers from DTU (DK) and GPS receivers from DLR (DE)
- an upgraded telecommand system with a decoder largely implemented in software by STT-SystemTechnik GmbH (DE)
- a digital Sun-sensor, developed by TNO (NL)
- a dual-frequency GPS receiver, developed by Alcatel Espace (FR)
- a fibre-sensor system for monitoring temperatures and pressures around the spacecraft, developed by MPB Communications Inc. (CA)
- a new startracker development being test-flown before use on the BepiColombo mission, developed by Galileo Avionica (IT)
- a very high precision flux-gate magnetometer, developed by DTU (DK) and magnetometer technology experiments from Lusospace (P) and ZARM Technik AG (DE)
- an experimental solar panel with a solar flux concentrator, developed by CSL (BE)
- a xenon gas propulsion system using resistojet thrusters and a solid-state nitrogen gas generator to pressurise the propellant tanks, developed by SSTL (GB) and Bradford (NL)
- an exploration micro-camera (X-CAM), developed by Micro-cameras & Space Exploration (CH)
- new GNC algorithms developed by NGC (CA)
