TechDemoSat-1

TechDemoSat is a satellite platform, derived from heritage technology, which will function as an ‘in-orbit test facility’ for innovative UK payloads and software. UK industry and academia are working together with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) on a new innovative satellite that will trial UK space technologies and hopefully win substantial International business for the companies collaborating on the project. The satellite is based on the SSTL 150 platform developed for a previous mission, however modifications and upgrades are being made to the platform design to accommodate the payloads. At around one meter cubed (roughly the size of a refrigerator or a dishwasher) and with a surprisingly light mass of around 150kg, TechDemoSat (TDS-1) will carry no less than eight payloads plus a mixture of heritage and new product development systems from SSTL. Among the new systems being considered to fly on the satellite is an enhanced on board computer giving greater ability to conduct software experiments remotely, a new battery charge regulator and newly qualified cell types on two of the solar panels. The propulsion system will see a smaller tank size trialled with a new high performance resistojet thruster along with new sun sensors in the Altitude and Orbital Control System (AOCS) adding increased accuracy to the previous sensors used.