NUS Takes the Quantum Leap into Space

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Galassia, an experimental cube-satellite, was developed by a team of 30 final-year engineering students pursuing the Satellite System Design track under the Design-Centric Programme of the NUS Faculty of Engineering, together with six research engineers over a period of about four years beginning in 2012.

This satellite will carry two payloads. The first is a quantum science payload developed and flown in a satellite for the first time by NUS’ Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT). It will test out a quantum-based communication concept using Small Photon-Entangling Quantum System (SPEQS). The second is a Total Electron Content (TEC) electronic payload designed by NUS Engineering students. This payload will measure the total number of electrons above Singapore in the ionosphere, knowledge of which can be used to improve GPS navigation as well as radio communication.

The operational mission life of this satellite is expected to be between six to 12 months, during which payload data will be collected and analysed.

Professor Goh Cher Hiang, Project Director of the NUS Satellite Programme at the NUS Faculty of Engineering, said, “Creating a space-ready engineering system goes beyond nuts and bolts. The Galassia project brings together students from various engineering disciplines to apply what they have learnt in a real-life setting, and challenges them to innovate and push boundaries. The successful launch of Galassia is a strong endorsement of NUS’ space engineering education and we hope that this will also inspire more talented students who are passionate about space R&D to pursue their interest in this field.”

Kent Ridge 1: The “eyes” in space

Kent Ridge 1 is a hyper-spectral imaging micro-satellite designed to conduct scientific experimentation and analysis of Earth's surface characteristics. With the capability to break down colour into its constituent components, this satellite is able to collect information on what is happening to the planet when sunlight is decomposed into its constituent wavelengths. This is useful for detecting changes in soil, vegetation, volcanoes, water temperatures and fire.

Most hyper-spectral cameras flown in space are large, bulky, complex and expensive. They are usually carried in big spacecrafts with mass of about one tonne. In comparison, Kent Ridge 1 is a micro-satellite with a mass of 77.2-kilogramme, much smaller than conventional hyper-spectral satellites.

The operational mission life of this satellite is expected to be two years, during which scientific experiments will be carried out.

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