The co-location meeting of the Critical Design Review (CDR) of the RADCUBE project was organised at the European Space Research and Technology Centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, which was meant to conclude phase C of the development. RADCUBE is the first Hungarian ESA programme realized in the frame of the General Support Technology Programme (GSTP) of the space agency (ESA GSTP 6.3 RADCUBE). The RadMag payload, dedicated for space radiation and magnetic field measurements, is developed by the Space Dosimetry Research Group at the Centre for Energy Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The main objective of the RADCUBE programme is the in-orbit demonstration of the Radmag payload on board a 3-unit (10 cm x 10 cm x 30 cm) CubeSat.
The European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, the Netherlands (credits: ESA – ESA-Anneke Le Floc'h)
The satellite platform is developed by C3S Ltd; according to the present schedule, the launch is planned for mid-2020. The RadMag payload consists of an in-board and an out-board 3D magnetoresistive sensor, the later on the end of a deployable boom. The magnetometers are provided by Imperial College London, whereas the boom and its deploying mechanism is developed by the Polish space company Astronika. Their work is coordinated by MTA EK in the project.
The deliverables required for the CDR had been electronically submitted to ESA in November 2018. Responses given to all the Review Item Discrepancies identified by the 12-member ESA panel were accepted, a plan of action has been made to close-out the review. The RadMag team, on behalf of MTA EK, was represented by RadMag deputy project manager Attila Hirn (also responsible for the science). Besides the representatives of C3S Ltd. and MTA EK, Imperial College London, Astronika and KU Leuven – the later entity would deliver the Attitude Determination and Control (ADCS) subsystem for the RADCUBE – were also represented in the meeting.
The radiation part of the RadMag Elegant Breadboard Model (RadMag-EBB), with which the first calibration measurements have been already performed
The CDR co-location meeting was considered by all participating parties. The ESA Board wished to thank the RADCUBE team for the significant work done to date and looked forward to the successful continuation of the programme.
Attila Hirn
RADCUBE/RadMag deputy project manager
The development of the RadMag space radiation and magnetic field measuring instrument, in the implementation phase (B2/C/D/E/F), is realized in the frame of the ESA contract No. 4000120860/17/NL/GLC/as and Subcontract No. 20170630_RCU_MTA_EK_SubCo_i1.0.