Astrid (satellite)

Astrid is the name for a series of Swedish, scientific satellites, which are named after the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren.

Astrid 1

Astrid 1 has a mass of only 27 kg and has a size of 29 cm height and 45 cm in length and width. It is therefore also known as microsatellite. The satellite was launched on 24 January 1995 together with a Russian navigation satellite type Zikada of a Russian Kosmos- 3M from the Russian Cosmodrome Plesetsk and transported in an orbit with inclination of 82.9 ° and about 1000 km altitude. The scientific instruments (a total of 4.36 kg heavy and with 11.88 watts power consumption) went into operation on February 6, but they were already on 1 March in the same year. Nevertheless, the satellite could show that you (one year development time) can conduct scientific space at low cost ( 1.4 million euros ) and promptly.

There are three scientific instruments:

  • PIPPI ( Prelude in Planetary Particle Imaging ) examined neutral particles (atoms and molecules ); charged particles up to 140 keV energy are shielded from the instrument and thus not detected. The energy of the neutral particles is measured.
  • EMIL ( Electron Measurements - In- situ and Lightweight ) is an electron spectrometer.
  • MIO (Miniature Imaging Optics) is a pair of ultraviolet photometers to study auroras and the upper atmosphere.

The three research instruments are named after Astrid Lindgren's stories and the title character Pippi Långstrump, Emil i Lönneberga and Mio, min Mio.

Astrid 2

Astrid 2 is the successor of Astrid 1 and is located approximately in the same orbit and is also spin stabilized with the rotation axis toward the sun. He was also launched on 10 December 1998 from Plesetsk with a Kosmos- 3M as a secondary payload on the satellite's launch Nadezhda 5. The satellite was in operation until July 24, 1999. The mass of the satellite is 29 kg and be with deployed solar panels 1700x1100x300 mm. The communication with the satellite was carried out by two ground stations, one in Sweden and one in the Antarctic ( SANAE IV Station).

Astrid 2 has four instruments, a Langmuir probe interferometer, an ion and electron spectrometer, an instrument for the measurement of electric and magnetic fields, and a UV photometer. The instruments together weigh about 9 kg, and consume 16 watts of energy. The data transfer takes place to the ground with 128 kbit / s

International Designator Orbital inclination Spaceport Mio, My Son
84378
de