MISSION KOSTKA
Další-
1U
Size of the satellite
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1st
Student satellite in the Czech Republic
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2023
Year of the mission establishment
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2025
Year of the planned launch
What is KOSTKA?
KOSTKA is the main project of a student team focused on space technology from Brno University of Technology (BUT) - YSpace. The aim of this mission is to be the first Czech satellite designed exclusively by students and launched into orbit. It will carry on board components developed directly by members of the team, including the unique LoRa module. These components will be supplemented with already tested parts from leading Czech space companies. Throughout the development process, we aim to create a network between academia and the rapidly developing space industry in the Czech Republic that will provide valuable opportunities and experience to all parties involved.
What are the main objectives of the mission?
The KOSTKA mission will have two objectives. The main one will be to test the LoRa communication module, which YSpace members are designing and developing themselves within the ESA Spectrum Sharing Makerspace. The secondary mission is then to regularly transmit data from the BUT's polar research station, called KAPLIČKA, using LoRa. This data will be stored on board and then downloaded directly to the ground station located at FEEC BUT, for direct access to the information.
How LoRa modulation works?
LoRa (Long Range) is a proprietary modulation developed by Semtech, based on the chirp spread spectrum (CSS) principle. This form of spread spectrum modulation uses "chirp" signals whose frequency changes in time (linearly). The direction and rate of this frequency change, known as the 'chirp rate', carries information. Chirp signals spread the energy of the signal over a wide frequency band, which increases immunity to interference and allows detection of signals below the noise floor. Different chirp signals with different chirp rates are orthogonal to each other, allowing multiple signals to be transmitted simultaneously without mutual interference. The advantage of LoRa modulation is its high sensitivity, robustness to interference and low power consumption, which makes it suitable, for example, for satellites in low Earth orbit.
Research station KAPLIČKA
Under the patronage of the of the university's rector, a research station with the working name KAPLIČKA is being prepared. This station will be located on Nelson Island, Antarctica, during a planned expedition in early 2026. The station will not only monitor the climatic conditions in the area, but also measure the amount of droplets present in the air to indirectly determine its pollution. To extract measured data from the polar stations, it is normally necessary to "drive" there in person. Thus, the transfer of data via KOSTKA mission will significantly speed up and reduce the cost of its processing.
The purpose of the mission?
The KOSTKA mission represents the first step for YSpace on the path to space exploration and the popularization of this field. The development of the mission will provide hands-on experience across a variety of fields, from the design of the electronics and mechanical construction of the satellite itself to partner recruitment and marketing of the project. It helps lay a solid foundation for future, more complex missions by establishing partnerships, securing funding and gaining valuable experience. The mission also serves as a stepping stone to the more ambitious CIMER mission, with which the KOSTKA mission deliberately shares much of the components under development.
Responsibility: Bc. Jiřina Kapcárová