Category: Blog
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What are Driveaway Satellite Terminals?
Driveaway Satellite Terminal is a specialized SATCOM (Satellite Communication) system that is integrated onto the rooftop of a vehicle, allowing users to establish two-way satellite communication links quickly and efficiently. Unlike flyaway systems that require manual unpacking and setup, or manpack terminals that need to be carried and pointed manually, a driveaway terminal can be…
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Kuiper Belt Exploration
The Kuiper Belt is a vast, disc-shaped region that lies beyond the orbit of Neptune, spanning distances from approximately 30 to 55 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun. This region serves as a repository of ancient materials, holding countless small icy objects, comets, and dwarf planets such as Pluto, Haumea, and Makemake. This remote and…
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What do you mean by Hohmann Transfer Orbit?
Hohmann Transfer Orbit is an elliptical orbit that is used to transfer a spacecraft between two orbits of different altitudes around a central body. It is a maneuver that was invented by German scientist Wolfman Hohmann, in 1925. This orbit is considered the most fuel-efficient way of transferring a satellite or a spacecraft from one…
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What is a Hall Effect Thruster?
Hall-effect thruster or Hall-current thruster is a type of Ion Thruster in which the propellant is accelerated by an electric field. Hall effect thruster consists of an acceleration chamber, an external cathode (negative electrode), an anode (positive electrode), and coils to produce a magnetic field. As the cathode is heated it starts emitting electrons and…
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What is an Electrospray Thruster?
An Electrospray Thruster is a type of Ion Thruster that produces low thrust by using a strong electric field to accelerate charged liquid droplets. Some types of electrospray thrusters use a mixture or a combination of different liquids as propellant and hence are known as colloids. Therefore these thrusters are also known as Colloid thrusters.…
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What is a Launch Vehicle?
A launch vehicle or a carrier rocket can carry a payload or a satellite/spacecraft from the surface of the earth to the Lower earth orbit after which the payload or the satellite is deployed and will reach its intended orbit or destination. Launchpads are a primary requirement to launch spacecraft or satellites into space. Launchpads…
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What is a CubeSat?
CubeSat is a square-based nanosatellite that weighs roughly around 1 Kg and is launched into space at an altitude of around 350 miles (550 km) above the Earth’s Surface. It can be built inexpensively and launched into the Lower Earth Orbit (LEO), which can be used for applications such as remote sensing and communications. CubeSat…
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What do you mean by Sun Synchronous Orbits (SSO)?
Sun Synchronous Orbits are earth-centered orbits which has an altitude of 600-800 Km above the earth’s surface and an inclination of about 20-30 degrees from the north-south poles, with the satellites traversing this orbit being synchronous with the sun. SSO Orbit is synchronized with the sun, which keeps the satellite in the orbit, exactly aligned…
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What are the Different Types of Solar Panels used in Space?
Crystalline Silicon Panels Crystalline Silicon Panels were first used in 1958 for the VANGUARD-1 satellite. Panels made from silicon have a much lower efficiency i.e 15-20% electricity generated because silicon panels can only absorb visible sunlight and not infrared & UV rays. Additionally, silicon panels are more susceptible to degradation over time due to the…
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What is a Pulsed Plasma Thruster?
A Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) is the simplest form of electric propulsion that uses the natural properties of plasma to produce thrust and high velocities with low fuel consumption. Compared to other forms of electric propulsion a PPT usually operates by creating a pulsed, high current discharge across the exposed surface of a solid insulator…