NAUCRATES – Small Satellite for Geostationary Earth Orbit Space Situation Awareness
Description
NAUCRATES is the scientific name for the Pilot Fish. The scope of Naucrates is to design and manufacture the technological demonstrator of a satellite intended for optical intelligence of Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) resident objects. GEO allows a satellite to remain in orbit over a single point of the earth’s surface. Seven uses for GEO have been set forth by the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space: communications, meteorology, earth resources and environment, navigation and aircraft control, astronomy and data relay. Hence, GEO needs special control and protection. US Air Force with the declassified Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program, Russia, and China have these capabilities. Europe, with its fleet of GEO satellites, both military and commercial, should develop satellites designed to monitor at least its own satellites.
Goal
The project NAUCRATES aims at designing and demonstrating a microsatellite as an in orbit optical sensor with the capability to approach other objects in GEO till 10km to take centimetre resolution images. It will be positioned in a stable orbit outside GEO belt, will not create harm to other satellite nor disturb the transmissions. NAUCRATES will not be visible by ground radars, telescopes or SIGINT. The NAUCRATES payload is based on an optical telescope. The acquired images will be transmitted via infrared laser at 2 Gbit/s with a contact duration < 2 min on a ground spot signal of few hundred meters impossible to be eavesdropped. NAUCRATES satellite can be launched directly in GEO by Ariane 6 and could stay in orbit for a 3 to 5 years. NAUCRATES is the first GEO satellite with a mass lower than 100kg, the first stealth satellite and the first European satellite for SSA in GEO. This is the first SMEs team to offer a GEO satellite designed and manufactured in Europe.
Lead Partner
ON-AIR CONSULTING & SOLUTIONS SRL
Partners involved
IMT SRL, SPACE TECHNOLOGIES FOR INNOVATION S.R.L., OPTEC SPA, BRADFORD ENGINEERING BV, SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT & SUPPORT SRL, INTEGRASYS SA, TEKEVER SPACE – SISTEMAS ESPACIAIS LDA, TTI NORTE SL, CELESTIA SATELLITE TEST ANDSIMULATION BV, HYPERION TECHNOLOGIES BV
Duration
01 December 2022 – 30 November 2025
More information
