The Research Target Satellite

Abstract

The FLP is the first in a series of planned satellites implemented in the frame of the SmallSat Program of the IRS at the University of Stuttgart, Germany. It is being developed and built primarily by PhD and graduate students funded by the major industry partner Astrium (Astrium Satellites GmbH and its daughter TESAT Spacecom), by space agency and research facilities (German Aerospace Center, DLR) and contributing other universities. The project is financed by the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, the university and industry partners. Current development status is assembly Phase D with a functional test program on the FlatSat testbench and the qualification of a structural/thermal model of the flight structure. The flight hardware units have been built at IRS or have been procured and unit as well as system and OBSW tests are still ongoing.