TUPEX-1

The first TUPEX mission (TU Berlin Picosatellite Experiment) verified individual components for picosatellites were verified aboard a sounding rocket. The rocket was launched on 5 April 2006 within the REXUS-3 program and reached an altitude of 94.4 km. The experiment was created as part of a student semester project within the TU lecture “spacecraft design” of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Briess.

The main objective was the verification of miniaturized sensors for attitude determination (magnetic field sensor, gyro and a self-developed sun sensor) as well as high-efficeency solar cells in space. These components are utilized aboard the BEESAT picosatellite, which also was developed at the Chair of Space Technology. Furthermore, in TUPEX-1 accelerometers were tested. TUPEX-1 gave the students valuable experience in regard to hand-on space experimentation.

Publications:

• Baumann, F.; Brieß, K.; Kayal, H. (2006). Untersuchung von Sensoren zur Lagebestimmung in Picosatellitenplattformen. Publikationen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Photogrammetrie, Fernerkundung und Geoinformation (DGPF), Band 15, 311–318.
• Trowitzsch, S.; Baumann, F.; Birke, H.; Grewe, R.; Kayal, H.; Richter, D. (2006). TUPEX – An Experimental Sounding Rocket Payload for Evaluation of Pico Satellite Technologies. Space Technology Education Conference (STEC), Braunschweig, 9.–12. Mai.

Press:

• Im Weltraum geschnuppert (5.4.2006) [more...] [2]

Contact: Dipl.-Ing. F. Baumann [3]