TUBSAT-1, satellite technology for educational purposes

TUBSAT-1 (Technical University of Berlin Satellite) is an experimental low-cost satellite within the NASA Get Away Special (GAS) program. This project is being financed by the German BMFT (Federal Ministry for Research and Technology), mainly for student education. The dimensions and weight are determined by GAS requirements and the satellite will be ejected from the space shuttle into an approximately 300-km circular orbit. It is a sun/star oriented satellite with an additional spin stabilization mode. The first planned payload is to be used for observing flight paths of migratory birds from northern Europe to southern Africa and back

PAFERM: The Ulisses Particles and Fields Environment Reference Mission

The paper discusses a small satellite mission that was proposed to the European Space Agency (ESA) and to the German Space Agency (DARA). The idea is to support the Ulysses mission by conducting reference measurements in the ecliptic plane, particularly during the time periods of Ulysses\u27 polar passages. The scientific objectives, the instrumentation and the impact on the Ulysses mission are discussed. The mission scenario is described, the mission constraints are given, and a preliminary spacecraft concept is shown

BREM-SAT - A Small Scientific Satellite

BREM-SAT is a small scientific satellite being financed by the BMFT (German Ministry of Research and Technology). It will be launched from the Space Shuttle during the German D-2 mission (September 1992) into a 300 km orbit with 28.5° inclination. Although the volume is limited, due to the CAP (Complex Autonomous Payload) programme requirements, the satellite payload includes six different scientific experiments. Futhermore, within this mission a new technology will be demonstrated

Perspectives and challenges for the use of radar in biological conservation

Radar is at the forefront for the study of broad-scale aerial movements of birds, bats and insects and related issues in biological conservation. Radar techniques are especially useful for investigating species which fly at high altitudes, in darkness, or which are too small for applying electronic tags. Here, we present an overview of radar applications in biological conservation and highlight its future possibilities. Depending on the type of radar, information can be gathered on local- to continental-scale movements of airborne organisms and their behaviour. Such data can quantify flyway usage, biomass and nutrient transport (bioflow), population sizes, dynamics and distributions, times and dimensions of movements, areas and times of mass emergence and swarming, habitat use and activity ranges. Radar also captures behavioural responses to anthropogenic disturbances, artificial light and man-made structures. Weather surveillance and other long-range radar networks allow spatially broad overviews of important stopover areas, songbird mass roosts and emergences from bat caves. Mobile radars, including repurposed marine radars and commercially dedicated ‘bird radars’, offer the ability to track and monitor the local movements of individuals or groups of flying animals. Harmonic radar techniques have been used for tracking short-range movements of insects and other small animals of conservation interest. However, a major challenge in aeroecology is determining the taxonomic identity of the targets, which often requires ancillary data obtained from other methods. Radar data have become a global source of information on ecosystem structure, composition, services and function and will play an increasing role in the monitoring and conservation of flying animals and threatened habitats worldwide

FIRES - A Small Satellite Mission for Fire Detection

Berlin 200197