The successful start of the mission signifies an important milestone in the development of microsatellites in China.

"Microsatellites make it possible for universities to participate in aerospace research and development ... some universities, research institutes and corporations may set foot in this field before long, ending the monopoly of governmental departments," said Xu Xin, senior engineer with the Center.

The 0.07-cubic meter, 50-kg microsat was launched aboard a Russian Kosmos-3M rocket from the Plesestk Cosmodrome in northern Russia at 6:37 p.m. Beijing Time on June 28. The launcher delivered Tsinghua-1 to its final sunsynchronous orbit of 700 km.

Almost seven hours later when the microsat made its first pass over the Tsinghua Groundstation here at 1:30 a.m. June 29, engineers from the university and the Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) of University of Surrey, U.K., were able to activate Tsinghua-1 immediately.

In the second satellite pass 100 minutes later engineers successfully uploaded commands to the computer on board.

Last Monday (July 3) Tsinghua-1 transmitted its first image. The reception of the first image indicates that the attitude control, optical sensing and telecommunication systems are working well.

Tsinghua-1 is a collaborative project involving the China Aerospace Electromechanical Group, Tsinghua University and University of Surrey under a Know-How Transfer and Training Programme between China and the U.K.

The project marks the first achievement of a 25-year collaborative joint venture company, the Tsinghua-Surrey Microsatellite Technology Research Centre, that was formed between Tsinghua University and SSTL in September 1998.

Ten engineers and scientists from Tsinghua University spent twelve months during 1998-99 at the Surrey Space Centre. They worked with SSTL engineers on the design, construction and testing of the advanced microsatellite. SSTL installed a Space Mission Control Groundstation at Tsinghua University.

Tsinghua-1 is the first demonstrator for a Disaster Monitoring Constellation. The microsat carries multispectral Earth imaging cameras with an imaging resolution of 39 metres at nadir in three spectral bands.

SSTL will lead the launch of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation in early 2002. A constellation of five microsatellites will provide daily worldwide high resolution imaging for the monitoring and mitigation of natural and human-induced disasters.

Tsinghua-1 satellite also carries out research in low Earth orbit using digital store-and-forward communications, a digital signal processing (DSP) experiment, a Surrey-built GPS space receiver and a new three-axis microsatellite attitude control experiment.

Tsinghua University in Beijing is renown as one of China's foremost universities. As early as the 50s, the university had nurtured many aerospace experts. Many of them were involved in the development of China's first artificial satellite Dongfanghong-1.

Today the university leads in research in satellite communications and remote sensing, spacecraft dynamics and orbital control, gyroscope technologies, optical remote sensors, and microelectronics.

Among the fifteen national and ten departmental laboratories at the university, about half of them are involved in microsat research and development.

With the successful launch of the microsat, China National Space Administration (CNSA) encourages universities and colleges, and research institutions and enterprises to actively participate in space activities.

Recently the Aerospace Tsinghua Satellite Technology Co. Ltd. was set up to develop microsats and detector technologies, and market their applications. The company received an official sanction from the State Administration of Industry. Financial backing came from the China Aerospace Machinery and Electronics Corporation, the Tsinghua University Enterprise Group, and the Tsinghua Tongfang Co. Ltd.

MICROSAT BLITZ
China Eyes MicroSat Market
by Wei Long
Beijing - June 28, 2000 - China is setting its sight to compete in the microsat international market. Two recent announcements made clear indication that the country wanted to establish its presence in the booming market.

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