1) PW-Sat was a satellite project started in 2004 by students at the Warsaw University of Technology to increase their education and technical skills through building Poland's first satellite. 2) The satellite successfully launched in 2012 aboard a Vega rocket and its objectives included testing a deorbiting system and transmitting data back to Earth. 3) After deploying its antenna and entering operational phase, PW-Sat fully deployed its deorbiting tail and transmitted telemetry during its deorbiting phase over approximately a year in space.

1. PW-SAT – What is it and how we made it
Maciej Urbanowicz
Students' Space Association, Warsaw University of Technology
TS2 Satellite Technologies

2. PW-Sat – the beginning
At the Warsaw University of Technology
➔The beginning: 2004, 2005 (mission statement)
➔Students' Space Association
(Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering)
➔Student Space Engineering Scientific Group
(Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology)

3. PW-Sat – the beginning
At the Warsaw University of Technology
Why should we build a satellite?
➔
➔ Increase prestige and reputation (the 1 st satellite!)
➔ Enhance education and technical knowledge
➔ Build space capabilities and sustainability
➔ Space promotion and advocacy (Poland is joining ESA as a full state
member!)

4. PW-Sat – mission statement
Objectives
PW-Sat as...
➔… educational project
➔… technology demonstrator
Mission statement:
To educate students at spacecraft development and Credits: Maciej Urbanowicz
space project management to demonstrate the new
type of a de-orbitation system in the CubeSat project
as a technology demonstrator for the small satellite
mission.
Objectives:
➔To test a technology developed by POLES!
➔De-orbit the satellite
Credits: Maciej Urbanowicz

5. PW-Sat – mission statement
Mission(s) definition(s)
The motivation:
➔PW-Sat selected by the Education
Office of the ESA as a payload to the
Vega Maiden Flight!
Credits: ESA Credits: ESA

6. PW-Sat – mission statement
Mission(s) definition(s)
Concept
➔Increase a cross section:
balloon → sail → tail
Strategy: 3B's
Credits: PW-Sat
➔B (Build)
➔B&B (Build & Buy)
Credits: P. Sańczyk
➔B (Buy)
Credits: M. Urbanowicz

7. PW-Sat – design
Mission schedule and level of success (1):
➔ 1. The satellite successfully passed all of the tests. It has been approved to
flight by the ESA.
➔2. The satellite was integrated with other CubeSats in the P-POD and prepared
to the flight. The satellite was integrated with the launch vehicle.
➔3. The satellite was launched to space.
➔4. The antennas were released and the transceiver started working in the basic
mode. All subsystems are in a good condition.
➔5. The satellite is fully operational, downlink and uplink* transmission work
properly. It is possible to operate the satellite.
➔6. The tail was deployed. The deorbitation phase has been started.
➔7. The satellite has been deorbited.
➔* - Currently (26th September 2012) the PW-Sat has reached 4 th level and
particularly 5th.

8. PW-Sat – design
Mission schedule and level of success (2):
Phase name Time Purpose
Commissioning T+0 – T+ 30 min. Satellite separation. Separation switches turn on satellite. The OBC starts
counting down T30 min.
Antenna deployment T+30 min Deployment of antenna system. The satellite starts send telemetry and
receive signals from ground station.
Operational phase 1 T+30 min Satellite sends telemetry, receives data. Normal operational phase is
performed.
Operational phase 2 T+1 month The tail is deployed from the payload container. Deorbiting phase is
started. AP&P gathers tail's parameters. Telemetry is sent to ground
station.
Deorbiting T – (~1 year) Satellite is being deorbited.

9. PW-Sat – design
Satellite configuration
➔Exploded view
Credits: M. Urbanowicz

10. PW-Sat – design
Satellite configuration
➔Configurations:
➔ before launch
➔ after launch (1)
➔ after launch (2)
➔ main mission
Configuration after launch (2); (C): M. Urbanowicz
Configuration before launch
and after launch (1);
Credits: M. Urbanowicz
Configuration main mission; (C): M. Urbanowicz

11. PW-Sat – design
Payload description
➔Payload container
➔Tail (length: 1.2 meter;
material: stainless steel)
➔Thin foils with solar cells
(efficieny ~4-5%)
➔Cover plate
➔Lock/release mechanism
➔Payload control module
(on the AP&P board)
Payload; Credits: A. Kotarba
Payload; Credits: M. Urbanowicz

12. PW-Sat – the FM
The FM assembling
Credits: M. Urbanowicz Credits: M. Urbanowicz

13. PW-Sat – the FM
Credits: M. Urbanowicz

14. PW-Sat – last day in Poland
Delivery to ESA (ESTEC)
Credits: M. Urbanowicz

15. PW-Sat – delivery to ESTEC
Delivery to ESA (ESTEC)
Credits: M. Urbanowicz Credits: M. Urbanowicz

16. PW-Sat – pre-flight
Before integration with the P-POD
Credits: M. Urbanowicz, approved by: Robusta, Masat-1

17. PW-Sat – pre-flight
Integration with the P-POD
Credits: M. Urbanowicz Credits: M. Urbanowicz

18. PW-Sat – pre-flight
Credits: L. Varga

19. PW-Sat – pre-flight
Credits: L. Varga Credits: M. Urbanowicz

20. PW-Sat – prepared to flight
PW-Sat!
Pre-flight operations in Kourou
Credits: ESA, CSG, Arianespace, Optique Video du CSG, J.M. Guillon

21. PW-Sat – prepared to flight
Credits: M. Urbanowicz

22. PW-Sat – prepared to flight
Credits: M. Urbanowicz
Credits: M. Urbanowicz

23. PW-Sat – launch!
Credits: M. Urbanowicz
Credits: M. Urbanowicz

24. PW-Sat – after launch
Credits: M. Urbanowicz
Credits: M. Urbanowicz

25. This is a history!
Launch
Launch
➔13.02.2012
➔Launch vehicle: VEGA
➔Orbit: 308x1427 km (inclination: ~69.5º)
Credits: ESA
Credits: M. Urbanowicz Credits: Google

26. PW-Sat – first signal!
Communication
➔The first signal heard during
the first pass
➔downlink is 145.900 MHz
(BPSK 1200 bps AX25, SSB)
➔uplink is 345.020 MHz (FM,
AX.25)
First received signal by Polish radioamateur; Credits: Grzegorz
Woźniak, CAMK
Cooperation with radioamateurs: www.pw-sat.pl/pw-sat_radio_amateur

27. PW-Sat
Video
Credits: P. Sańczyk

28. PW-Sat – after launch
Credits: M. Urbanowicz
Credits: V. Gupta

29. PW-Sat – after launch
Credits: M. Urbanowicz
Credits: M. Urbanowicz

30. PW-Sat – French Guiana
Credits: M. Urbanowicz
Credits: M. Urbanowicz

31. PW-Sat – French Guiana
Credits: M. Urbanowicz
Credits: M. Urbanowicz

32. PW-Sat
PW-Sat Team (2011)
➔Support:
ESA's Education Office
ISIS, Clyde-Space, GomSpace
Companies in Poland
Space Research Centre of PAS
Polish government
Credits: M. Urbanowicz

33. Thank you for you attention!
More information at:
www.pw-sat.pl
www.maciejurbanowicz.org.pl
Listen to our Beacon!
(technical information at
www.pw-sat.pl)
Credits: T. Szewczyk