F-1 (satellite)
F-1 is a 1U CubeSat built by FSpace laboratory at FPT University in Vietnam, in partnership with , Uppsala University and NanoRacks LLC. Its mission is to train young engineers and students about aerospace engineering and evaluate an advanced 3-axis magnetometer designed in Sweden by .
F-1 was launched on 21 July 2012 and delivered to the International Space Station aboard Kounotori 3 along with the Raiko, We Wish, Niwaka and TechEdSat cubesats. Then, on October 4, 2012, it was deployed into orbit from the ISS using the JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer which was attached to the Kibo module's robotic arm.
As of November 2, 2012, F-1 failed to confirm communication after the orbital deployment.
Hardware
- Structure: aluminium alloy T-6061
- Power supply: body-mounted solar cells, rechargeable Li-Polymer battery
- PIC16 and PIC18 micro-controllers
- Yaesu VX-3R handheld transceivers
- C328 low-resolution camera
- Temperature sensors
- 3-axis magnetometer
- 2 meter band Dipole Antenna
- 70cm band Dipole Antenna
Specifications
- Size: 10x10x10cm
- Mass: 1 kg
- Communication: 02 independent radios using amateur radio VHF & UHF bands, transmission speed 1200bit/s; AFSK & PWM Morse code modulation, KISS protocol
- Payload: low resolution C328 camera
- Sensors: temperature sensors and 3-axis magnetometer
- Targeted orbit lifetime: at least 3 months on orbit
Communication Subsystem and Packet Format
- Frequency: 437.485 MHz
- Modulation: Narrow FM
- Power: about 0.2W RF output
- Antenna: half-wave dipole
- Beacon interval: 20 seconds duration, repeated every 90 seconds
| No1 | Data | Description | Size | Size |
| 1 | F-1's callsign | "XV1VN" | 5 | |
| 2 | OBC1 reset count | Number of OBC1's reset since the beginning | 8 | |
| 3 | Temperature 1 | °C | 8 | 5 |
| 4 | Temperature 2 | °C | 8 | |
| 5 | Checksum bit | 0 if summary of items #2 to #4 is even, 1 if it is odd | 1 | |
| Total | 10 |
2. Main VHF channel
- Frequency: 145.980 MHz
- Modulation scheme: AFSK/FM
- Power: 1.0W RF output
- Antenna: half-wave dipole
- Baud rate: 1200bit/s
- Telemetry and interval: one burst of 3 telemetry packets in KISS format every 30 seconds
| No | Data | Description | Size |
| 1 | Date time | Date: dd/mm/y: 5/4/3=12 bits Time: hh/mm/ss: 5/6/6=17 bits | 29 |
| 2 | Battery voltage | Battery voltage multiplied by 100 | 11 |
| 3 | Solar cells voltage | Solar cells voltage multiplied by 10 | 8 |
| 4 | Temperature 1 | °C | 8 |
| 5 | Temperature 2 | °C | 8 |
| 6 | Temperature 3 | °C | 8 |
| 7 | Temperature 4 | °C | 8 |
| 8 | Temperature 5 | °C | 8 |
| 9 | Temperature 6 | °C | 8 |
| 10 | Temperature 7 | °C | 8 |
| 11 | Temperature 8 | °C | 8 |
| Total | 112 bits = 14 bytes |
Note:
- F-1 periodically sends a burst of 3 telemetry packets with the same content, to avoid packet loss
- Time in UTC, 24 hours format
- Year count starting from 2012
- Battery voltage reading is accurate to 0.01V, values are multiplied by 100. Divide by 100 to get actual value.
- Solar cells voltage reading is accurate to 0.1V, values are multiplied by 10. Divide by 10 to get actual value.
- Temperature readings from sensors, will be added with 100 before transmission to ensure a positive number so please subtract 100 to get actual value
- 112 bits, divided into 14 bytes