PIXL-1 Spacecraft

Demonstration of the OSIRIS optical demonstration payload for CubeSats.

Demonstration of the OSIRIS optical demonstration payload for CubeSats. In the framework of the OSIRIS program, DLR develops highly compact optical communication payloads for small LEO spacecrafts together with their cooperation partner Tesat-Spacecom, who will commercialize it as CubeL DTE. Optical terminal OSIRIS4CubeSat/ CubeL which will transfer pictures taken with the CubeSat via laser to the ground. CubeL data rate is 100Mbps, volume 0,3U and weight 350g.

Will initially be monitored and controlled via UHF using a compatible COTS ground segment to perform an IOD of “OSIRIS4CubeSat”, a miniaturized OSIRIS space-to-ground laser communication terminal developed by DLR-KN in cooperation with Tesat-Spacecom. Afterwards, CubeL will be integrated into the GSOC multi-mission environment and be operated via S-Band. The GSOC ground segment architecture and software focuses on institutionally standardized communication, such as CCSDS frame (132.0-B-2) and packet standards (133.0-B-1) and the ECSS packet utilization standard (E-ST-70-41C). At the core of GSOC's multi-mission environment is the SCOS-2000 based monitoring and control system “GECCOS”, which supports all satellite missions currently operated by GSOC.

TESAT with research partner DLR provides the terminal, which is integrated with a GomSpace provided satellite platform. A cost-efficient ground station solution will be operated by KSAT.

• During the PIXL-1 mission, DLR was able to demonstrate complete end-to-end transmission, from image acquisition and data transfer by laser to processing on the ground, marking a significant first.
• The technology has been transferred to industry and is now being marketed by TESAT with the name 'CubeLCT' / 'SCOT20'.
• With a data rate of 100 megabits per second, the laser terminal's speed far surpasses the transmission capabilities of comparable radio systems. In addition to the high data rate, laser light as a transmission medium is unaffected by electromagnetic interference. Channel crosstalk, as often occurs with conventional radio channels, does not exist with laser transmission. This means that laser transmission channels do not require lengthy approval procedures on the part of the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur; BNetzA) or the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
• German space control center commands small satellite with next-generation software via Cubesat Space protocol, 2024-03-15.

Some challenges:

• After stabilizing the star tracker, further experiments showed that the star tracker cannot operate in some specific sky regions at all.
• During the PIXL-1 mission it was not possible to frequently download GPS-data from CubeL, because of a limited power budget. 
• On the 13th of June 2023 DLR could for the first time establish a stable tracking connection between the OGSOP-NG and O4C. After a short bad weather period, this success could be repeated on the 25th of June.

Think DLR is covering most of the costs based on the 2017 press release.

• PLATFORM - GomSpace

• ASELSAT
• Charlie
• Flock-4s 1
• Flock-4s 2
• Flock-4s 3
• Flock-4s 4
• Flock-4s 5
• Flock-4s 6
• Flock-4s 7
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• Flock-4s 10
• Flock-4s 11
• Flock-4s 12
• Flock-4s 13
• Flock-4s 14
• Flock-4s 15
• Flock-4s 16
• Flock-4s 17
• Flock-4s 18
• Flock-4s 19
• Flock-4s 20
• Flock-4s 21
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• Flock-4s 23
• Flock-4s 24
• Flock-4s 25
• Flock-4s 26
• Flock-4s 27
• Flock-4s 28
• Flock-4s 29
• Flock-4s 30
• Flock-4s 31
• Flock-4s 32
• Flock-4s 33
• Flock-4s 34
• Flock-4s 35
• Flock-4s 36
• Flock-4s 37
• Flock-4s 38
• Flock-4s 39
• Flock-4s 40
• Hiber 4
• IDEASSat
• Kepler-8
• Kepler-9
• Kepler-10
• Kepler-11
• Kepler-12
• Kepler-13
• Kepler-14
• Kepler-15
• Lemur-2 130 Chantal
• Lemur-2 131 JenniferSong
• Lemur-2 133 Nallywacker
• Lemur-2 134 Neva
• Lemur-2 135 NoobNoob
• Lemur-2 136 Ruairi-Eilidh
• Lemur-2 137 SaoirseDH5Guo
• Lemur-2 132 Mango1
• PIXL-1
• SOMP2b
• SpaceBEE-40
• SpaceBEE-41
• SpaceBEE-42
• SpaceBEE-43
• SpaceBEE-44
• SpaceBEE-45
• SpaceBEE-46
• SpaceBEE-47
• SpaceBEE-48
• SpaceBEE-49
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• SpaceBEE-51
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• SpaceBEE-55
• SpaceBEE-56
• SpaceBEE-57
• SpaceBEE-58
• SpaceBEE-59
• SpaceBEE-60
• SpaceBEE-61
• SpaceBEE-62
• SpaceBEE-63
• UVSQ-Sat
• V-R3x 1 (Littlefoot)
• V-R3x 2 (Petrie)
• V-R3x 3 (Cora)
• YUSAT-1
• Flock-4s 41
• Flock-4s 42
• Flock-4s 43
• Flock-4s 44
• Flock-4s 45
• Flock-4s 46
• Flock-4s 47
• Flock-4s 48
• SpaceBEE-64
• SpaceBEE-65
• SpaceBEE-66
• SpaceBEE-67
• SpaceBEE-68
• SpaceBEE-69
• SpaceBEE-70
• SpaceBEE-71
• SpaceBEE-72
• SpaceBEE-73
• SpaceBEE-74
• SpaceBEE-75
• PTD-1
• ARCE-1A
• ARCE-1B
• ARCE-1C
• Astrocast 3
• Astrocast 4
• Astrocast 5
• Astrocast 6
• Astrocast 7
• Prometheus 2.10