Abstract
In the Microsatellite Laboratory of the University of Bologna a project was started in 2003, aimed at the development of a multipurpose microsatellite platform named ALMASat. The launch into orbit of the first prototype ALMASat-1 is currently foreseen by the end of 2008. One of the natural applications of the modular ALMASat platform is in the field of space-based Earth observation. At this aim, a spin-off company named ALMASpace was established in 2006, with the goal of designing and demonstrating the feasibility of a low-cost Earth observation mission based on the technological achievements obtained by the ALMASat project. This paper summarizes the main characteristics of the ALMASat-1 spacecraft and describes the current status of the design and development of the ALMASat-EO (Earth Observation) spacecraft bus and optical payload whose launch into orbit is currently scheduled at the end of 2010.
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Graziani, A., Melega, N., Tortora, P. (2008). A Low-Cost Microsatellite Platform for Multispectral Earth Observation. In: Sandau, R., Röser, HP., Valenzuela, A. (eds) Small Satellites for Earth Observation. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6943-7_29
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6943-7_29
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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