NanoAvionics Partners with LANL on Pioneering ESRA Space Mission

NanoAvionics Partners with LANL on Pioneering ESRA Space Mission
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 01, 2024

Kongsberg NanoAvionics US, a leader in smallsat mission integration, has entered into a new partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), a premier U.S. science and technology institution, for the development of a CubeSat mission aimed at enhancing our understanding of space radiation.

The mission, designated the Experiment for Space Radiation Analysis (ESRA), will employ a 12U CubeSat platform-approximately the size of a microwave oven-to carry out its objectives. This spacecraft is tasked with hosting advanced charged particle sensors and critical flight subsystems as part of a broader initiative to validate and demonstrate next-generation space technologies.

Set to be launched into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO), ESRA represents a groundbreaking effort in the study of the Earth's dynamic radiation belts. This mission marks a significant first, as no CubeSat has previously been utilized to observe the energetic charged particles within these belts during periods of solar maximum.

ESRA will feature two primary science payloads: a wide-field-of-view plasma spectrometer (WPS) for the measurement of ions ranging from ~100 eV to 35 keV and an energetic charged particle (ECP) telescope capable of measuring ions from 100 keV to 200 MeV, as well as electrons between 100 keV to 1 GeV.

Additional components, including a compact modular high voltage power supply (HVPS), a payload flight processor (PFP), a flight software architecture, and a distributed processor module (DPM), will support these instruments. The DPM, in particular, will facilitate smart sensor capabilities by processing data at the sensor head locations.

Carlos Maldonado, the ESRA principal investigator at LANL, emphasized the significance of collaboration with the commercial sector, highlighting the benefits of leveraging commercial satellites and ground stations for the rapid maturation of space technologies. This approach not only reduces risk, schedule, and cost but also exemplifies the potential of CubeSats to contribute to scientific discovery and space weather monitoring beyond low-Earth orbit.

To accommodate the ESRA payloads, NanoAvionics will modify one of its 12U modular buses, ensuring mechanical and component compatibility. The mission will be managed using NanoAvionics' mission control software, which is designed to operate multiple satellite missions and is compatible with major commercial ground station networks worldwide.

Zilvinas Kvedaravicius, CEO of Kongsberg NanoAvionics, expressed pride in the company's collaboration with LANL, particularly following the successful partnership on the 12U MAMBO satellite. The ESRA mission, he noted, is not only a testament to the strength of this partnership but also a pioneering venture that showcases NanoAvionics' commitment to advancing space exploration.