SUNSAT Mission
Stellenbosch University’s SUNSAT mission combined amateur-radio communications, Earth imaging and spacecraft-technology experiments. The university reported 51 three-band high-resolution images, radio services and experimental data returned during nearly two years of orbital operation. The mission ended when contact ceased on January 19, 2001; the February 1 end-of-life announcement reported that the original goals had been exceeded despite the spacecraft’s final irreversible failure. The physical cause remained uncertain.
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Identity
- Aliases
- SUNSAT missionSO-35 mission
- Name
- SUNSAT Mission
- Status
- completed
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- Stellenbosch University’s SUNSAT mission combined amateur-radio communications, Earth imaging and spacecraft-technology experiments. The university reported 51 three-band high-resolution images, radio services and experimental data returned during nearly two years of orbital operation. The mission ended when contact ceased on January 19, 2001; the February 1 end-of-life announcement reported that the original goals had been exceeded despite the spacecraft’s final irreversible failure. The physical cause remained uncertain.
- Destination
- Low Earth orbit
- End Date
- 2001-01-19
- Outcome
- Imaging, communications and technology experiments completed; contact lost on January 19, 2001, with the physical failure cause unconfirmed.
- Programs
- -
- Start Date
- 1999-02-23
- Vehicle Families
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- October 29, 2026 at 15:49:42 UTC
- Updated Time
- October 29, 2026 at 15:49:42 UTC
Other
- Affiliations
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles