SDS-4 explained
| SDS-4 |
| Mission Type: | Technology |
| Operator: | JAXA |
| Cospar Id: | 2012-025C |
| Satcat: | 38339 |
| Spacecraft Type: | SDS |
| Launch Mass: | 50kg (110lb)[1] |
| Launch Date: | UTC[2] |
| Launch Rocket: | H-IIA 202 |
| Launch Site: | Tanegashima Yoshinobu 1 |
| Launch Contractor: | Mitsubishi |
| Orbit Epoch: | 30 October 2013, 08:31:20 UTC[3] |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric |
| Orbit Regime: | Low Earth |
| Orbit Periapsis: | 666km (414miles) |
| Orbit Apoapsis: | 678km (421miles) |
| Orbit Inclination: | 98.23 degrees |
| Orbit Period: | 98.05 minutes |
| Apsis: | gee |
SDS-4 (Small Demonstration Satellite 4) is a small satellite (50 cm cube with mass of 50 kg) developed by JAXA. It was launched as a secondary payload on the Shizuku mission on 17 May 2012 UTC.[4]
In 2019, its ownership was transferred to the SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (JSAT).[5] Operation was terminated by the end of June 2021.[6]
There are four rather specialised systems on the satellite:
- SPAISE (SPace-based Automatic Identification SystEm) - test on-orbit a receiver for picking up signals from Automatic Identification System transmitters on ships well out to sea, and determine how space-based reception is affected by interference between nearby transmitters and by environmental conditions.
- FOX (Flat heat-pipe on-orbit experiment) - to test whether flat heat pipes work in space in accordance with theoretical models and with tests on Earth
- IST (In-flight experiment of Solar absorption rate with THERME) - to acquire information about the effect of sunlight in space on thermal coatings, re-flying the THERME instrument developed by CNES for testing different thermal coatings [7]
- QCM (Quartz Crystal Microbalance) - to test whether a Japanese-manufactured quartz microbalance works well in monitoring contamination of the satellite from assembly to on-orbit operation.
Notes and References
- Web site: SDS 4. Gunter. Krebs. Gunter's Space Page. 31 October 2013.
- Web site: Launch Log. Jonathan. McDowell. Jonathan's Space Page. 31 October 2013.
- Web site: SDS-4 Satellite details 2012-025C NORAD 38339. N2YO. 30 October 2013. 31 October 2013.
- Web site: Small Demonstration Satellite-4 (SDS-4) . JAXA . 3 December 2019.
- Web site: JAXA and SKY Perfect JSAT Conclude an Agreement on the Transfer of the Small Demonstration Satellite-4 . JAXA . 24 April 2019 . 3 December 2019.
- Web site: https://c-hotline.net/docs/co/arc/VGMD2045rev01/src/dl/skyperfectjsat210804_1.pdf . 4 August 2021 . Japanese . ja:2022年3月期 第1四半期 決算説明会 . SKY Perfect JSAT Holdings Inc. . 7 August 2021.
- Web site: In-flight thermal coatings ageing on the THERME experiment .
