Buzz
Representatives from the Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC) and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology provide updates on the NanoDragon satellite after it was launched into space over 6 months ago.
Mr. Le Xuan Huy, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC) at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, states that engineers and experts are still actively searching for signals from NanoDragon.
'Currently, the ground station has not received any information, thus the detailed status parameters of the satellite have not been determined. However, the VNSC ground station remains in automatic signal reception mode as the satellite passes by. Several ground stations worldwide are also continuing their search for signals,' Mr. Huy said.
Is the satellite inactive?
'There are satellites that, for reasons unknown, after a period of time, signals are received again,' Mr. Huy said. As this is a research satellite, signal loss occurrences are not uncommon. According to statistics, approximately 35% of research satellites operate perfectly according to design.
In case the signal of the NanoDragon satellite cannot be received, we will continue efforts to manufacture subsequent satellites, aiming to master satellite technology in the future.
The NanoDragon satellite features 3 communication channels: Remote sensing data transmission from satellite to ground at UHF frequency band, uplink command transmission from ground to satellite at VHF frequency band, and mission data transmission from satellite to ground at S-band frequency.
NanoDragon was launched along with 8 other satellites on November 9, 2021. Additionally, 11 flying objects have been identified post-launch. Therefore, it will take considerable time for units to determine which object is NanoDragon.
VNSC operates twice daily at 9:30 AM and 9:30 PM at the ground station in Hoa Lac High-tech Park (Hanoi). The center sends control commands to the satellite at VHF band to search for signals at S-band, while also coordinating with the Satnogs community to receive satellite signals, with 2 stations capable of sending commands to NanoDragon and receiving signals at S-band.
The center conducts search and filtering of all NanoDragon signal-related data on the Satnogs platform, engaging in exchange, analysis of possible satellite situations, and seeking solutions with partners.
'The NanoDragon manufacturing process provides valuable experience and lessons for engineers and staff at the center in all stages including design, manufacturing, integration testing, launch, and operational preparation,' said Dr. Huy.
While experts in the field of space operations typically expect a satellite to emit signals shortly after reaching its destination, usually within 1-2 hours or a few days. Some glitches can be remotely addressed, with signals expected shortly thereafter. In cases where resolution isn't feasible, the satellite becomes space debris.
Based on the analysis, experts speculate that the NaNoDragon satellite is either non-operational or encountering some sort of malfunction. They also suggest that satellite launches often encounter errors, especially given our budget constraints and various challenges.
Dreaming of Technology Mastery
NanoDragon was launched into space at 7:57 am on November 9, 2021, along with 8 other satellites via the Epsilon rocket number 5. RAISE-2 was the first satellite deployed. NanoDragon was the last satellite released into space, commencing its mission in the cosmos. Prior to the launch day, the satellite launch had been postponed twice.
'The journey to conquer space is fraught with difficulties and challenges, but what's crucial is that we are always ready to face them and strive to achieve our common dream: Dreaming of Technology Mastery,' Mr. Huy remarked.
Previously, the ultra-small satellite PicoDragon (weighing 1kg), developed by the Vietnam Space Center, was also launched in 2013. The satellite operated fairly steadily for about 3 months, continuously broadcasting the 'PicoDragon Vietnam' message to ground stations worldwide.
Following the success of PicoDragon in the gradual mastery of satellite technology, VNSC engineers conceived a more sophisticated satellite, tasked with executing practical missions. 'In 2014, we began gestating the satellite designed by Vietnam. In 2017, we secured funding for the project 'Research, design, manufacture, launch, and trial operation of nano-sized super small satellites' under the 'National Science and Technology Program on Space Technology for the 2016-2020 period,'' Dr. Huy stated.
During the launch preparation process, NanoDragon satellite passed through 4 rounds of JAXA's rigorous safety checks and underwent various crucial environmental tests, including 82-hour vacuum thermal environment tests, vibration tests (testing for specific oscillation frequencies, sine vibration, random vibration, sine burst vibration), shock tests, and other functional tests.
In response to media inquiries, an engineer from the Vietnam Space Center revealed that the entire frame design was fabricated in Vietnam. Due to the high costs involved, many entities initially declined, opting to purchase significantly more expensive foreign alternatives. It took the team 5 years of trial and error to fabricate 5 different versions before finally producing a complete version.
NanoDragon is a nano-class cubesat weighing 3.8kg with standard dimensions of 3U (100x100x340.5mm). The satellite was developed by a team of engineers and researchers from VNSC. It is a product of the project 'Research, design, manufacture, launch, and trial operation of nano-sized super small satellites' under the 'National Science and Technology Program on Space Technology for the 2016-2020 period.'
The satellite's name, NanoDragon, symbolizes Vietnam's small dragon soaring high into space. The development of the NanoDragon satellite also aims to master small satellite technology, enabling self-design and manufacturing of small Earth observation satellites. NanoDragon was developed with the goal of demonstrating the use of super small satellite cluster technology to receive Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals for ship identification, thereby avoiding collisions or combining data for maritime vehicle tracking and monitoring.
In 2019, MicroDragon satellite was successfully launched into orbit and continues to operate according to its objectives. MicroDragon is a product of the basic satellite training component of the project 'Disaster Prevention and Climate Change Mitigation using Earth Observation Satellites.' The satellite was researched, developed, and manufactured by 36 trainees, who are research officers of the Vietnam Space Center.
