uPGRADE

The project aims at the development, integration and preparation for the operation of a prototype demonstrator of a general purpose CubeSat platform for commercial and scientific purposes, such as Earth observation, communications, land monitoring, support of distributed and/or fractionated constellations of nano-satellites and execution of missions in the cislunar and interplanetary space. The demonstration of the capabilities of this platform will be performed using the concept of observing Earth’s gravitational field variations and measuring the neutral thermosphere – along the line of past missions such as CHAMP (DLR), GRACE (DLR / NASA) and GOCE (ESA). These capabilities will be evaluated on the ground, through careful and substantiated validation of the ready-for-launch prototype, with the launch into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) outside of the context of this project. Nevertheless, a plan will be developed for the launch in the Atlantic International Research (AIR) centre.

With this application, which has demanding requirements in terms of structural and thermal stability, power management, high volume data communication and tight requirements in terms of the accuracy of satellite orientation and position measurement, we intend to demonstrate the highest applicability in the context of the most promising niche markets in the current space sector, mentioned above, and to immediately capacitate the Portuguese industry to compete in the international space market, through efficiently acquiring the required experience and know-how, as well as the expanding the employment of highly-specialized engineers.