WUSAT-4 CubeSat Mission
WUSAT-4 3U CubeSat
Years of Operation: 2022 - 2025
Clients:
- University of Exeter - Prof Tim EtheridgeLink opens in a new window (Researcher)
- Space Park LeicesteLink opens in a new windowr - Payload Manufacturer.
Mission:
3U CubeSat to carry a Fluorescent Deep Space Petri- Pod (FDSPP) to Low Earth Orbit. The FDSPP experiment will –
- Establish miniaturised, remotely operated biology hardware that is compatible with interplanetary missions being planned by ESA and NASA
- Provide an option for fluorescent microscopy of model organisms (in vitro and in vivo)
- Produce experimental hardware that provides enough biomass for molecular analyses and have the ability to photo and video samples in flight and download the data
The FDSPP Experiment Module was designed and manufactured by Space Park Leicester. This was ideal for us as we had excellent connections with Space Park Leicester through our membership of the Midlands Innovation Space Group.Link opens in a new window
WUSAT-4 Partner Companies
- XCAM LtdLink opens in a new window
- Airbus UKLink opens in a new window
- AMSAT-UKLink opens in a new window
- RSLink opens in a new window
- ESATAN-TMSLink opens in a new window
- HarwinLink opens in a new window
- EurocircuitsLink opens in a new window
- AltiumLink opens in a new window
- AnsysLink opens in a new window
- Dassault SystemsLink opens in a new window (Solidworks)
- SiemensLink opens in a new window
- Roke Manor Research LtdLink opens in a new window
FDSPP Concept Payload
The objectives of the FDSPP experiment are to -
- Establish miniaturised, remotely operated biology hardware that is compatible with interplanetary missions being planned by ESA and NASA
- Provide an option for fluorescent microscopy of model organisms (in vitro and in vivo)
- Produce experimental hardware that provides enough biomass for molecular analyses and have the ability to photo and video samples in flight and download the data.
WUSAT-4 Individual Team Pages
XCAM NuSCIS Camera System
A generous offer from our partners XCAM ScientificLink opens in a new window was the inclusion of their NuSCIS Camera system for general mission image capture during WUSAT-4 operation.
NuSCIS is a compact imaging payload for SmallSats and CubeSats, designed to capture and process high-quality images from space. Its modular architecture and multi-sensor flexibility allow full customisation for mission-specific needs, supporting CMOS, CCD, and EMCCD sensors with thermal control for ultra-low-light imaging.
Combining on-board processing and real-time decision capabilities with low mass, power, and volume requirements, NuSCIS offered WUSAT-4 a cost-effective, rapid-deployment solution for space imaging missions.
