Peruvian University Consortium in the QB50 Project

Juan Martin Canales Romero (1) , Alberto Gutierrez (1) , Avid Roman-Gonzalez (1) , Michael Schlueter (1)

1 Peruvian University Consortium

With the development of nano-engineering and its usage for space applications universities and educational institutions worldwide have started exploring new frontiers in the field of space operations with projects called technology demonstration missions. Peruvian engineers have realized that nowadays they have the managerial and technical capabilities to demonstrate that Peruvian institutions are able to cooperate internationally working in this field. Therefore a consortium of universities from Peru envisages participating in the European project "QB50, an international network of 50 CubeSats for multi-point, in-situ measurements in the lower thermosphere and re-entry research". The first step has been successfully achieved when the organizational committee accepted the letters of interest of these universities. The task of the Peruvian team would be the provision of a satellite, based on the CubeSat standards, for launch into space and its operation while in orbit. The CubeSat will have a size of 10x10x30 cm with one functional unit providing the usual satellite functions and science units accommodating the selected payloads or sensors for upper atmosphere and re-entry research. However the Peruvian consortium would not only participate providing a 3U CubeSat but also would contribute to the program with a valuable infrastructure like a network of radio amateur and university ground stations located in the Peruvian territory. This paper will briefly describe how Peru becomes the only country in South America with 7 interested universities in joining the European project. It will also provide insight into the educational benefits while participating in such international project. The proposed satellite mission design and planning, available infrastructure and how the consortium prepares to succeed in the realization of this challenging endeavour will be discussed.

Domaines: Océan, Atmosphère

Juan Martin Canales Romero, Alberto Gutierrez, Avid Roman-Gonzalez, Michael Schlueter. Peruvian University Consortium in the QB50 Project. International Conference on Space Operations - SpaceOps 2012, Jun 2012, Stockholm, Sweden. pp.1275952. ⟨hal-00712680⟩