ROBUSTA
| Company type | Student project |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Education |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Montpellier , France |
| Products | CubeSat nano-satellite |
ROBUSTA (standing for Radiation on Bipolar for University Satellite Test Application) represents a nano-satellite scientific endeavor created by students from the University of Montpellier as part of a response to a CNES initiative seeking orbital system projects.
This satellite, classified as a CubeSat, belongs to a series of nano-satellites developed for educational purposes. Its primary objective is to evaluate how bipolar transistor-based electronic components deteriorate when exposed to space radiation. The experiment is designed to confirm the effectiveness of a novel radiation testing technique introduced by the associated laboratory.
Project Execution
Initiated in 2006, the ROBUSTA project extended over six years, culminating in the satellite’s launch on February 13, 2012, aboard the inaugural flight of the Vega rocket. The satellite reentered Earth's atmosphere in February 2015. Shortly after deployment, an issue with the battery recharge system led to the loss of the satellite.
Team
Coordination of the project was undertaken by the Centre Spatial Universitaire Montpellier-Nîmes, with contributions from various teams located at different sites:
- Mechanical engineering handled by IUT GMP of Nîmes;
- Power management developed by IUT GEII of Nîmes;
- Ground segment and communication hardware designed by IUP PGII Montpellier;
- Control board created by Polytech Montpellier and IUT GEII Montpellier;
- Payload overseen by the EEA department at the University of Montpellier.