OPS-SAT experimental spacecraft

OPS-SAT was ESA’s small orbital laboratory for testing mission-control methods and onboard software. Built under a Graz University of Technology-led contract, it separated robust bus supervision from a reconfigurable experimental payload. A Linux-based processor and FPGA could run uploaded experiments and take over spacecraft functions while the bus retained recovery authority. Experiment interfaces included a camera, radio links, navigation data, and attitude sensors and actuators.