Experiment

Three CubeSats handed over to JAXA and shipped to Tanegashima for HTV7 launch!

From August 6th to 9th, 2018, three CubeSats scheduled to fly on board the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) 7 "KOUNOTORI7" were handed over to Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) from the satellite development teams at JAXA Tsukuba Space Center, where the loading preparations were performed for their on-orbit deployment around the upcoming autumn. After undergoing all preparations, the CubeSats were shipped to JAXA Tanegashima Space Center on August 21.

In next mission, HTV7 "KOUNOTORI7" will deliver to International Space Station (ISS) the Cubesats consisting of one co-developed by Kyushu Institute of Technology and Nanyang Technological University of Singapore and ones developed by General Incorporated Association Rymansat Spaces and Shizuoka University respectively, after storing them in the satellite install case of JAXA's JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) aboard. This CubeSat deployment will be the 10th mission using J-SSOD since 2012. Among the three CubeSats, SPATIUM-I will be deployed from Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo" based on the strategic partnership agreement between JAXA and Kyushu Institute of Technology.

CubeSat development teams and JAXA officials posing for commemorative photos before their CubeSats
(From top: Kyushu Institute of Technology/Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, General Incorporated Association Rymansat Spaces and Shizuoka University)(Credit: JAXA)

【Name of satellite】SPATIUM-I [Size：2U]
【Organizations】Kyushu Institute of Technology/Nanyang Technological University of Singapore
【Mission】To demonstrate technology for electron density measurement and three-dimensional mapping of ionosphere and chip scale (ultra-small) atomic clock for CubeSats.

【Name of satellite】RSP-00 [Size：1U]
【Organization】General Incorporated Association Rymansat Spaces
【Mission】To demonstrate technology for imaging with a camera on board CubeSat and image transmission to the ground, and demonstrate of new high-speed radio equipment.

【Name of satellite】STARS-Me [Size：2U]
【Organization】Shizuoka University
【Mission】To perform small-scale demonstration of space elevator, which is a demonstration evaluation mission of configuration of two cubesats and a climber (moving mechanism.)

*All times are Japan Standard Time (JST)