pakistan moon mission | ICUBE-Q | chinas space program | Chang'e 6 | lunar exploration mission
In 2022, the China National Space Agency (CNSA), through the Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO), offered member states a unique opportunity: to send a student-built payload to the Moon onboard the Chang'e 6 mission. Pakistan's Institute of Space Technology (IST) answered the call with a proposal for a Lunar CubeSat named "ICUBE-Qamar" (ICUBE-Q for short). After a rigorous evaluation process, IST's proposal was selected. The design and development of ICUBE-Q are a collaborative effort between IST faculty and students, Pakistan's national space agency SUPARCO, and China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). IST has a proven track record in CubeSat development, having successfully launched its first CubeSat, ICUBE-1, in 2013.
Mission Overview & Objectives
The project overall consists of three main parts: the CubeSat itself, the separation mechanism (including the power control box), and the mounting bracket. ICUBE-Q weighs approximately 7 kg and carries two optical cameras to image the lunar surface. It also features essential systems for attitude control, thermal management, and deep-space communication. The main mission objectives are as follows:
Primary Mission Success
Successful separation of the ICUBE-Q CubeSat into lunar orbit from Chang’e-6 Orbiter
Use of the Orbiter camera to record the release process of ICUBE-Q
Secondary Mission Success
Successful reception of beacon signal from ICUBE-Q, confirming successful operation of the CubeSat
Tertiary Mission Success
Take pictures of the Orbiter, the Earth and the Moon, and try to take pictures of 2 or 3 of the objects (Moon, Earth and Orbiter) together
Obtain lunar magnetic field data; establish lunar magnetic field model and lay the foundation for subsequent international cooperation on the Moon.
Technical Details & Subsystems
Design Life: 3 Months
Communication Link:
X-Band for both TT &C and imaging data transfer
Data rate 1 kbps
Attitude Control:
Three axis control using Reaction Wheels, Star sensor and Sun sensors
Power:
Battery = 12 V , 11.6 AH
Two deployed solar panels
Payload:
2 Cameras, one mega pixels (1280 x 720) mounted on +/- X panels
Task: (i) Imaging Lunar Surface (ii) Imaging Earth from Lunar Orbit (iii) Moon and Earth together
Following successful qualification testing at SUPARCO and SJTU, ICUBE-Q has now been integrated with the Chang'e6 orbiter.
The launch of ICUBE-Q is scheduled in May 2024, marking a significant step in Pakistan's space exploration journey.
#CNSA #moonmission #nasa #space #ICUBE-Q
30 апр 2024
