GRBAlpha
Second Slovak satellite, built in international cooperation, and first 1U CubeSat ever to detect gamma ray bursts.
GRBAlpha is a 1U CubeSat carrying a 75 x 75 x 5 mm CsI(Tl) scintillator, read out by a dual-channel multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC) setup, to detect gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The GRB detector is an in-orbit demonstration for the detector system on the Cubesats Applied for MEasuring and localising transients (CAMELOT) mission. While GRBAlpha provides 1/8th of the expected effective area of CAMELOT, the comparison of the observed light curves with other existing GRB monitoring satellites will allow us to validate the core idea of CAMELOT, i.e. the feasibility of timing-based localization.
Size: 1U
Weight: 1195 g
Radio: 437,025 MHz (UHF), 145,905MHz (VHF)
Orbit height: 500- 550 km
Orbit type: Sun-synchronous
Launch date: March 22, 2021
Status: Active
Spacemanic's role
Spacemanic is responsible for project management, mission design, and necessary satellite simulations. Spacemanic also built and integrated almost all the components, such as the electrical power system, solar panels, on-board computer and GPS receiver module, attitude sensor module, and passive magnetic stabilization system with necessary calibration.
Spacemanic has also coordinated the payload development team and integrated the satellite into a 1U structure with great success. Spacemanic's team also developed the software for their components like OBC and GPS modules.
Spacemanic also worked on the "ground segment", including project documentation and ground support equipment. Further, Spacemanic provided development and expertise on the ground radio station and took care of all necessary environmental testing connected to a satellite launch including necessary transportation and integration to the deployment system.
