Birds-1

Birds-1 is the first iteration of a multinational program called the Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds Satellite project, or BIRDS Project, to help countries build their first satellite. The Japanese Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) supported the design and fabrication of the satellites. The constellation was launched by a Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station on June 3, 2017, as part of CRS-11, where it was released from the Kibō module into space. Ghana, Mongolia, Nigeria, and Bangladesh participated in the Birds-1 program, all building identical satellites for the constellation.

Not to be confused with BIRD (satellite).

Birds project logo

All of the Birds-1 satellites deorbited in May 2019.

Background

The Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) in Japan supports non-spacefaring countries to build their first satellite through a program called The Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds Satellite project (BIRDS). Five countries participated in the first Bird program: Ghana, Mongolia, Nigeria, and Bangladesh.[1] The Birds Project logo was designed by Ghanaian student Ernest Teye Matey.[2]

The Nigerian government has a background with satellites, but had never built one prior to Birds-1.[3] Sometimes MongolSat-1 is referred to as Mongolia's first satellite, but it was launched by Bermuda-based company ABS and built by U.S. company Boeing. It was co-branded as MongolSat-1 after launch. Birds-1 successfully launched the first satellite for Bangladesh, Ghana, Mongolia, and Nigeria.[4]

Development and design

Five countries built identical satellites: Bangladesh (BRAC Onnesha), Japan (TOKI), Mongolia (Mazaalai), Ghana (GhanaSat-1), and Nigeria (Nigeria EduSat-1).[5][6] Each satellite cost about US$500,000 to manufacture and launch.[7] The satellites are 10 centimetres (3.9 in) cubes in the 1U CubeSat class, weighing around 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) each.[8][1] Power is generated from solar cells and stored in batteries. It carries 0.3 megapixel and 5 megapixel cameras to image the Earth. The constellation can also transmit music and other sounds back to Earth. The satellites also contain provisions to measure the effects of solar radiation on commercial microprocessors and can measure air density.[9] The satellites were expected to remain in orbit for 1.1 years.[10]

Mission

Launch
SpaceX launch of CRS-11 with Birds-1 onboard

SpaceX launched the constellation on its CRS-11 mission to the International Space Station on June 3, 2017. Birds-1 was carried in a Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket, launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A, the 100th launch from that pad. This was the first time SpaceX had reused one of its Dragon capsules.[11]

The satellites were ejected from the Kibō module of the International Space Station on July 7.[5] On ejection, astronaut Jack Fischer said on Twitter, "Another great example of International Cooperation today on @Space_Station --launched 5 micro-satellites from 5 countries off the JAXA arm!"[12]

The constellation orbits the Earth at an altitude of 400 kilometres (250 mi) and at an inclination of 51.61 degrees. The satellites travel around the Earth every 91 minutes at a velocity of 7.67 kilometres per second (17,200 mph).[7]

Operations

The satellites communicate with seven ground stations: one in each of the countries participating in the Birds-1 program, and one each in Thailand and Taiwan.[1] The same radio frequency is used for all of the satellites. The constellation can have music uploaded via a digi-singer. It is processed on the satellite, then transmitted to Earth with an ultra-high frequency (UHF) antenna as voice FM data.[13]

Ghana intends to use the data to help monitor illegal mining and map the coastline.[14] BRAC Onnesha is imaging vegetation, water resources, and urbanization.[15] The purpose of Nigeria EduSat-1 was more educational in nature; it was planned to be a technology demonstrator and to familiarize Nigerians with spacecraft design.[16] Mazaalai's intended use was to conduct independent space studies and help mitigate natural disasters.[6]

The five satellites deorbited in May 2019.[10]

Future work

Japan's work with non-spacefaring countries continued with Birds-2 in 2018 with the Philippines, Bhutan, and Malaysia.[1] Mongolia planned to launch a second satellite in 2019.[17] Ghana plans to build GhanaSat-2 and GhanaSat-3, with GhanaSat-2 focusing on water pollution, illegal mining, and deforestation.[18]

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References
  1. "Bird B, BTN, G, J, M, MYS, N, PHL (BRAC Onnesha, GhanaSat 1, Toki, Mazaalai, Nigeria EduSat 1)". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  2. "Birds Project Newsletter" (PDF). Birds Project. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  3. Polycarp, Nwafor (May 18, 2017). "Nigeria to launch Africa's 1st nanosatellite". Vanguard. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  4. Russell, Kendall (April 19, 2017). "ABS Co-Brands ABS 2A Capacity as MongolSat 1". Via Satellite.
  5. "Successful deployment of five "BIRDS project" CubeSats from the "Kibo"". JAXA. June 7, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  6. "Mongolia to send first satellite off to space on June 4". News Ghana. June 5, 2017. Archived from the original on June 29, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  7. Babatunde, Mark (July 11, 2017). "Ghanaian Engineers Launch Ghanasat-1, Join Space Race". Face2Face Africa. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  8. "Brac University says 'hi' to first nano-satellite". The Daily Star. February 8, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  9. "First Mongolian Satellite Launched Into Space". Montsame. June 5, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  10. "Report on BIRDS-1 Deorbiting" (PDF). Birds Project Newsletter. July 31, 2019. p. 96. ISSN 2433-8818. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  11. Clark, Stephen (June 3, 2017). "Reused Dragon cargo capsule launched on journey to space station". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on June 4, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  12. Fischer, Jack [@Astro2fish] (July 7, 2017). "Jack Fischer on Birds-1 Deployment" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. "BIRDS-1 constellation of five CubeSats deployed". AMSAT-UK. July 7, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  14. "Ghana launches its first satellite into space". BBC. July 7, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  15. "First nanosatellite ready for launch". The Daily Star. February 9, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  16. "FUTA sets Nigerian record, to launch satellite into space". Premium Times. May 30, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  17. "Mongolia to send its first satellite to space on June 4". The Indian Express. June 3, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  18. "Ghana to launch GhanaSat 2 & 3 - Satellite Technical Team". GhanaWeb. Archived from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
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