PW-Sat
| Company type | Private enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Satellite technology |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | Students of Warsaw University of Technology |
| Headquarters | Warsaw , Poland |
| Products | CubeSat satellites (PW-Sat1, PW-Sat2, PW-Sat3) |
PW-Sat represents a collection of Polish CubeSat satellites created by students at the Warsaw University of Technology in collaboration with the Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering, the Space Research Centre of Polish Academy of Sciences, and the European Space Agency. As of January 1, 2024, two satellites under the PW-Sat designation have been launched, with a third currently under development. The inaugural PW-Sat was Poland’s first artificial satellite, launched on 13 February 2012 from ELA-1 at the Guiana Space Centre aboard the Italian-made Vega during its debut flight. After completing their studies, the original team established a private enterprise named PW-Sat to continue designing and producing future satellites. Each mission aims to validate novel deorbiting methods targeting the mitigation of space debris, underscoring the program’s commitment to sustainable space activities.
Development
The inception of PW-Sat dates back to 2004 when students at Warsaw University of Technology set out to construct a CubeSat conforming to the 1U standard. Although initially scheduled for launch in 2007, delays linked to the Vega rocket postponed deployment until 2012. The project’s total expenditure was around 200,000 Polish zloty (approximately 63,205 USD), financed through university resources and a partnership agreement between Poland and the European Space Agency.
Hardware
Measuring 10x10x10 cm and weighing 1 kg, PW-Sat1 incorporated several subsystems:
- EPS: energy supply system
- ANTS: antenna control unit
- COM: communications module
- PLD: management for flexible solar cells
- OBC: onboard computer
- Access port for interfacing
- Flexible solar panels as primary power source
- Atmospheric drag device as main mission payload
- AX.25 transceiver for data transmission
- CW beacon operating at 145.901 MHz for reception by amateur radio operators
Mission
On 13 February 2012, PW-Sat1 was launched from the Guiana Space Centre aboard Vega’s maiden flight alongside payloads including LARES, ALMASat-1, and six other European CubeSats. It was deployed from the P-POD-2 dispenser together with ROBUSTA and MaSat-1 CubeSats.
The initial radio signals were detected by amateur radio enthusiasts around 12:10 UTC, with Poland’s first reception occurring at 12:15 UTC in Warsaw. The satellite was intended to stay in orbit until 2013 before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere destructively. However, premature battery exhaustion and orbital maneuvers conducted to pass over Poland delayed commands to deploy its atmospheric drag device in April and May 2012, which ultimately went unanswered.
A malfunction within the communication subsystem—an issue also observed in other CubeSats using the same hardware—prevented activation of the drag device. PW-Sat1 reentered Earth’s atmosphere on 28 October 2014.
Development efforts for its successor, PW-Sat2, commenced in September 2013, culminating in its launch in December 2018.
Development
Following on from PW-Sat1, PW-Sat2 was developed by Warsaw University of Technology students featuring a demonstration of a 2m by 2m solar sail intended to facilitate satellite deorbiting as a proof-of-concept technology. Deployment of this sail was postponed by approximately 40 days to allow additional testing of a secondary experimental sun sensor.
Mission
Launched on December 3, 2018, as part of Falcon 9’s SSO-A SERPA mission, PW-Sat2 successfully deployed its secondary payload followed by its solar sail. Unfortunately, the sail did not achieve satellite deorbiting and began to degrade over time, likely due to thermal stresses causing tension that led to foil rupture. Despite this setback, PW-Sat2 naturally reentered Earth’s atmosphere on February 23, 2021. The last update from the mission team was provided on September 22, 2019.
Development
PW-Sat3, the third cubesat crafted by students at the Warsaw University of Technology, is scheduled for launch in 2024 aboard an RFA One rocket, although postponements have shifted the expected deployment to late 2025. The satellite will be managed by a KP Labs Antelope onboard computer utilizing the modular flight software known as Oryx.
The mission plan incorporates altitude adjustments facilitated by an onboard cold gas thruster that employs butane for station-keeping duties and final deorbiting procedures.
Hardware
This 3U CubeSat is equipped with:
- A proprietary AOCS designed to align propulsion maneuvers precisely.
- Earth Horizon Sensors based on industrial IR matrix technology, serving as a secondary experimental payload.
- An onboard camera dedicated to capturing images of the satellite and its experiments.
- A transponder intended to allow amateur radio enthusiasts to transmit packets and receive low-resolution images upon request. After completing scientific tasks, the radio system will send commemorative beacons prior to deorbiting. All telemetry protocols, decoding tools, and software will be accessible to the public.