View source for SUNSAT

{{Short description|South African amateur radio satellite}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
The '''Stellenbosch UNiversity SATellite''' or '''SUNSAT''' (COSPAR 1999-008C) was the first [[miniaturized satellite]] designed and manufactured in South Africa.<ref>{{cite web|title=South African Satellites|url=http://atlas.sansa.org.za/atlas-sa_satellites.html|publisher=South African National Space Agency|access-date=March 18, 2023}}</ref> It was launched aboard a [[Delta II]] rocket from the [[Vandenberg Air Force Base]] on 23 February 1999 to become the first launched South African satellite. Sunsat was built by post-graduate engineering students at the [[University of Stellenbosch]]. Its [[AMSAT]] designation was '''SO-35''' ('''Sunsat Oscar 35''').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/so35.html|title=SUNSAT-OSCAR 35|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051224163310/http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/so35.html|archive-date=December 24, 2005|website=amsat.org}}</ref>

Last contact by ground control with SUNSAT was on 19 January 2001 and on 1 February 2001 the end of SUNSAT's functional life in orbit was announced. The satellite operated in orbit for nearly 2 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://research.ee.sun.ac.za/sunsat/news/20010201.html#en|title = The End of SUNSAT's Functional Life in Orbit|date=1 February 2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050414090039/http://esl.ee.sun.ac.za/projects/sunsat/news/20010201.html|archive-date=14 April 2005}}</ref>

It is predicted to reenter the atmosphere after about 30 years from launch.<ref>[https://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/so35-faq.htm#life 19. How long will SUNSAT stay operational?], SUNSAT(SO-35) FAQ</ref>

==Specifications==
SUNSAT satellite specifications:<ref>{{cite web|title=SUNSAT (Stellenbosch University Satellite)|date=Jun 14, 2012|url=https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/sunsat#rf-communications|website=eoportal.org|access-date=March 18, 2023}}</ref>
* Size: 45 x 45 x 60&nbsp;cm
* Mass: 64&nbsp;kg
* Launcher: Delta II rocket, Mission P-91<ref>{{cite web|title=Delta II 7920-10 (P91-1ARGOS), Ørsted and SUNSAT|url=https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/1627|website=nextspaceflight.com|access-date=March 18, 2023}}</ref>
* Program cost: US $5M (Approximate); the launch was free of charge as SUNSAT was orbited as a secondary payload. The primary payload of the launch was [[ARGOS (satellite)|ARGOS]], and the Danish [[Ørsted (satellite)|Orsted]] satellite was another secondary payload.
* Planned lifetime: 4–5 years ([[NiCad]] Battery pack life)
* Main payloads:
** [[Amateur radio]] communications
** Data interchange
** Stereo [[multispectral image]]r
* [[Spacecraft attitude control|Attitude control]]: [[Gravity gradient]] and [[magnetorquer]]s, [[reaction wheels]] when imaging
* Accuracy: 3 [[milliradian|mrad]] pitch/roll, 6 mrad yaw
* 2 Micro Particle Impact Detectors were included as part of experiments conducted in orbit
** A team (Zaahied Cassim and Rashid Mohamed) from [[Peninsula Technikon]] designed and built circuits for both their own piezo film  technology and [[NASA]] supplied capacitive sensors.
* SSC 25636<ref name="heavens-above">{{cite web|url=http://www.heavens-above.com/orbit.aspx?satid=25636|title=SUNSAT - Orbit|first=Chris|last=Peat|work=Heavens Above|date=5 December 2013|accessdate=6 December 2013}}</ref>

===Pushboom imager===
* Ground pixel size: 15 m x 15 m
* Image width: 51.8&nbsp;km

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
{{South African Space Program}}
{{Stellenbosch University}}
{{OSCAR satellites}}
{{Orbital launches in 1999}}

[[Category:Stellenbosch University]]
[[Category:Amateur radio satellites]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 1999]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched by Delta II rockets]]
[[Category:First artificial satellites of a country]]
[[Category:Space program of South Africa]]


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