INSPIRE-Sat 7 (INSPIRE-Sat-7, InspireSat 7)

Educational mission with ionospheric sensors and radio amateur mission.

University project made by Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin en Yvelines (France) on behalf of LATMOS (UVSQ, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Saclay, CNRS).

This satellite is a demonstrator to experiment new technology with a strong involvement of students.

This satellite helps to experiment miniaturized remote sensing sensors that could be used in the multi-point observation of Essential Climate Variables (ECV) and ionosphere.

The project is used for educational outreach for school. Students (PhD, master, Engineering school, …) contribute directly to the projects at different level. INSPIRESAT 7 provides hands-on experience and training to students in the requirements definition, reliability and quality assurance, cost and risk management, design, construction, spacecraft integration and test, mission operations, and control of complete satellite systems.

The INSPIRE-SAT 7 2U CubeSat embed following missions:

1. To provide a flight platform with functionalities open to ham radio community. An amateur radio payload (SPINO), which is a versatile telecommunication solution suitable for CubeSat will be available. Operating in UHF and VHF bands, it features tight integration with amateur radio service and the worldwide amateur radio community. The SPINO board features functions dedicated to the amateur radio community with a versatile digital transponder and a digital mailbox service. SPINO will be available in parallel of other mission according to the power budget. The goal is to make it accessible at least 30% of the time. SPINO is supported by the joint efforts of two nonprofit organizations: AMSAT-Francophone (http://site.amsat-f.org) and the hackerspace Electrolab (http://electrolab.fr/). SPINO operates in the Amateur Radio service bands, and features two full transceivers: - VHF: TX (+30 dBm) and RX 144—146 MHz, - UHF: TX (+30 dBm) and RX 430—440 MHz. SPINO will only work with VHT TX and UHF RX on this mission.
2. To provide the same FM audio transponder as the one used in the UVSQ-SAT mission, and open to ham radio community. The FM transponder will be available in parallel of other mission according to the power budget. This system will be accessible at least twice a month (UVSQ-SAT feedback).
3. Technology demonstration with miniaturized sensors for Earth, Sun and ionospheric observations.
4. Earth observation for climate purpose, Sun observation for solar physic purpose, Ionospheric observations for space weather and radiocommunication. All transmitted data will be used as open access. They will be used for pedagogic activities (STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), licence pro SIMIS of UVSQ students, Master NewSpace for Paris Saclay students open in 2021, etc.).

The satellite will be used for education purpose (hardware/software developments and trainings to satellite operations). Software to capture and performed data interpretation will be provided (aka UVSQ-SAT decoder). 

The CUIONO instrument, developed at ONERA, is mainly composed of a RF antenna and a software defined radio (SDR) card on board a Cubesat. Together with a ground-based sounder emitting RF signal between 8 and 23 MHz, the full setup can characterize the ionosphere. A first model of this instrument is being developed for integration to the INSPIRE-Sat 7 mission in collaboration with LATMOS.