ASTRID-2, a successful and versatile microsat platform

Astrid-2, Sweden’s second microsatellite, was designed and developed by SSC on behalf of the Swedish National Space Board. Astrid-2 was launched piggyback on a Kosmos-3M launcher from Plesetsk in December 1998 and was successfully operated in orbit for 7.5 months.

The spacecraft and its ground control station, also developed by SSC, were designed for extended periods of unattended operations. The ground control station, located at SSC’s engineering center in Solna, was based on standard PC’s and RF equipment. It automatically handled satellite passes predefined by the operator approximately four days in advance. The station also allowed the scientists to operate their instruments in real time via Internet.

The scientific mission was to explore electric and magnetic fields in the upper ionosphere, and to measure neutral and charged particles and electron density. The instruments were provided by the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the Institute of Space Physics in Kiruna and Uppsala.

Technical characteristics:

• Platform: Spin stabilized, sun pointing
• Launch mass: <30 kg
• Payload mass: 9 kg
• Payload power: 16 W continiously
• Size (deployed solar panels): 1700x1100x300 mm
• Down link data rate: 128 kbits/s