Abstract
The UltraViolet and infrared Sensors at high Quantum efficiency onboard a small SATellite (UVSQ-SAT) mission aims to demonstrate pioneering technologies for broadband measurement of the Earth’s radiation budget (ERB) and solar spectral irradiance (SSI) in the Herzberg continuum (200–242 nm) using high quantum efficiency ultraviolet and infrared sensors. This research and innovation mission has been initiated by the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ) with the support of the International Satellite Program in Research and Education (INSPIRE). The motivation of the UVSQ-SAT mission is to experiment miniaturized remote sensing sensors that could be used in the multi-point observation of Essential Climate Variables (ECV) by a small satellite constellation. UVSQ-SAT represents the first step in this ambitious satellite constellation project which is currently under development under the responsibility of the Laboratory Atmospheres, Environments, Space Observations (LATMOS), with the UVSQ-SAT CubeSat launch planned for 2020/2021. The UVSQ-SAT scientific payload consists of twelve miniaturized thermopile-based radiation sensors for monitoring incoming solar radiation and outgoing terrestrial radiation, four photodiodes that benefit from the intrinsic advantages of Ga 2 O 3 alloy-based sensors made by pulsed laser deposition for measuring solar UV spectral irradiance, and a new three-axis accelerometer/gyroscope/compass for satellite attitude estimation. We present here the scientific objectives of the UVSQ-SAT mission along the concepts and properties of the CubeSat platform and its payload. We also present the results of a numerical simulation study on the spatial reconstruction of the Earth’s radiation budget, on a geographical grid of 1 ° × 1 ° degree latitude-longitude, that could be achieved with UVSQ-SAT for different observation periods.
Highlights
UltraViolet and infrared Sensors at high Quantum efficiency onboard a small SATellite (UVSQ-SAT) is a Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS) nanosatellite mission with scientific and technological goals [1] mainly for observing essential climate variables, namely shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere and UV solar spectral irradiance
What are lacking at the present state to obtain accurate relevant EEI absolute value are the extreme cleanliness CubeSat control (careful material selection, minimization of organic material, and stringent cleanliness procedures of all hardware), intensive CubeSat pre-flight calibration, active ADCS, additional narrowband sensors, atomic clock for synchronization, and in-flight calibration to monitor sensors’ aging in space
We considered that the maximum angle of view of the UVSQ-SAT sensors can effectively detect the net radiation in a ground area of 1◦ ×1◦ along the ground-track and for a given acquisition integration time
Summary
UltraViolet and infrared Sensors at high Quantum efficiency onboard a small SATellite (UVSQ-SAT) is a Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS) nanosatellite mission with scientific and technological goals [1] mainly for observing essential climate variables, namely shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere and UV solar spectral irradiance. The UVSQ-SAT pathfinder mission will not provide a continuity of the essential climate variables’ data records since it is a demonstrator. Another objective of the UVSQ-SAT mission is to provide hands-on experience to UVSQ and Paris-Saclay University students in the requirements’. The operational mission lifetime will be at least of one year in orbit, including the commissioning phase, to achieve the expected UVSQ-SAT’s scientific objectives
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call