UniSat (University Satellite) are a series of small (~12 kg)
satellites developed at the Scuola di Ingegneria Aerospaziale by the Gruppo di
Astrodinamica dell'Università degli Studi “La Sapienza University of Rome”
(GAUSS) to perform technology experiments and to check the use of non space rated
equipment in space.
The UNISAT program has been the first university program in Italy intended for
promoting the use of commercial technologies in the aerospace field, performing in-orbit
tests of up-to-date technologies, with short development times and with a remarkable cost
reduction.
In the first prototype UNISAT-1, flown on board a Dnepr
launch vehicle on September 26th 2000, the technological issues prevailed over scientific
motivations as the main goal was the acquisition of space hardware manufacturing
experience for next missions. The technological payloads hosted on-board the spacecraft
(terrestrial technology solar panels, commercial battery packs assembly, ad-hoc developed
attitude control hardware) were flown following this design philosophy. Once flight
tested, these experimental payloads were also integrated in the UNISAT-2 bus (launched in
December 2002).
UNISAT 3 carries a magnetometer and triple junction solar cells.
The launch of UNISAT 4 was not successful, as the Dnepr
failed 86 sec after launch.
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