UiTMSAT-1

UiTMSAT-1 was a Malaysian nanosatellite, built primarily by Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) as part of the multi-nation Birds-2 project. The 1U CubeSat was launched into space on 29 June 2018 and deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on 10 August 2018.

UiTMSAT-1

UiTMSAT-1 in Space
Mission type	Technology demonstration
Operator	Universiti Teknologi MARA
COSPAR ID	1998-067PD
SATCAT no.	43589
Website	birds2.birds-project.com
Mission duration	6-9 months (planned)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	1U CubeSat
Manufacturer	Universiti Teknologi MARA
Launch mass	1.11 kg
Dimensions	10 × 10 × 10 cm
Start of mission
Launch date	29 June 2018, 09:42 UTC
Rocket	Falcon 9 Full Thrust
Launch site	Cape Canaveral, SLC-40
Contractor	SpaceX
Deployed from	International Space Station
Deployment date	10 August 2018
End of mission
Decay date	20 November 2020
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude	398.6 km
Apogee altitude	407.2 km
Inclination	51.6°
Period	92.5 minutes
Joint Global Multi-nations Birds Satellite ← Birds-1

Background

Malaysia has had several satellites in orbit, beginning with the MEASAT constellation, first operational in 1996. Their first microsatellite, TiungSAT-1, was launched in 2000.^[1]

Development

Planning for the mission began in December 2016 at the Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT). UiTM postgraduate students Syazana Basyirah Mohammad Zaki and Muhammad Hasif Azami developed the satellite over a 19-month period and collaborated with eight other students from the Philippines, Bhutan, and Japan. This collaboration also inspired the creation of a new Communication Satellite Centre at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM).^[2]

Objectives

• Demonstrate an Automatic Packet Reporting System digipeater to communicate with amateur radio stations.
• Detect a specific type of solar radiation called "single event latch-up".
• Measure magnetic fields through the use of an Anisotropic Magneto Resistance Magnetometer.
• Act as an Earth Imaging Camera.^[2]

Launch and mission

Birds-2 in the JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer.

Birds-2 satellites deployed from the Kibō module.

UiTMSAT-1 was launched to space on 29 June 2018 by the Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket at Cape Canaveral in Florida, United States as part of the SpaceX CRS-15 Commercial Resupply Service mission.^[2] Maya-1 and BHUTAN-1, which were also developed under the Birds-2 project, were among the payload of the rocket.^[3] All three nanosatellites were deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) and achieved orbit on 10 August 2018.^[4][5]