Mission Design for the CubeSat OUFTI-1

CHAPTER 55.1.4 The Vega Maiden FlightThe Vega maiden flight is targeted officially targeted for December 2008: theprimary scientific payload is the LAser RElativity Satellite (LARES). Its anitalian satellite, designed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) in cooperation withthe University of Rome testing a prediction following from the Einstein’s theoryof General Relativity, the so-called ‘frame-dragging or Lense-Thirring effect’.It’s basically a solid sphere maid of Tungsten with a diameter of 376 mm anda mass of 400 Kg. The surface is covered by 92 Corner Cube Reflectors (CCR)which, hit by laser beams sent from earth, will reflect them allowing an accurateorbit determination. Correcting for a number of effects, most importantly thedeviation of the earth gravitational field from an ideal sphere, yields the framedraggingeffect. To achieve its scientific objectives, LARES needs to be injectedinto a circular orbit at 1200 Km altitude with an inclination of 71 ◦ .Furthermore, an adaptation of the Upper Composite test dummy used duringmechanical test campaign will be the main passenger on the Vega maiden flight:it will measure the actual launch loads experienced by a typical payload in orderto correlate them with the numerical models used during the launcher’s designphase.Besides, an educational payload of six CubeSat, placed into two PicosatelliteOrbital Deployers (POD), will be accommodated into the fairing. They willbe released in a 1200x350 Km elliptical orbit thanks to the AVUM multi-burnfacility. A manoeuvre into a circular orbit at 350 Km altitude is also understudy. Both these two orbit guarantees a lifetime much less than 25 years,compliant with the international requirement related to space debris.Galli Stefania 32 University of Liège