Quick On-orbit Demonstration of New Space Technology Using University of Tokyo's Pico-class Small Satellite'Ⅺ-Ⅴ'

摘要

Small satellites, especially pico or nano-class satellites, which can be developed in a very short period and at very low cost, are considered to provide good opportunities for technology demonstration in space environment. Based on the success of the first pico-satellite"Ⅺ-Ⅳ" , which was intended to establish the basic technologies required for this class of satellites, ISSL (Intelligent Space Systems Laboratory) at the University of Tokyo developed its second pico-satellite "Ⅺ -Ⅴ" with the mission to demonstrate new space technologies such as copper indium gallium di-selenide(CIGS) thin-film solar cell. Ⅺ -Ⅴ was launched on October 2005 and has been successfully conducting its missions. In this paper, following the introduction of the achievements of Ⅺ -Ⅳ, the details of the missions and the operation results of Ⅺ - Ⅴ is described.