The Space Industry Responsive Intelligent Thermal (SpIRIT) nanosatellite has completed the first phase of its mission, marking a major development for Australian space technology, after spending more than 600 days in low Earth orbit. The cubesat has traveled around the globe over 9,000 times. This shows its strong design and engineering, and it was launched in December 2023 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The initial phase focused on checking SpIRIT’s main flight systems and onboard instruments. A key achievement during this time was successfully using its selfie stick, which provided a unique visual confirmation of the satellite’s health and position relative to Earth, and it can be mentioned that the satellite started as a compact 30cm x 20cm x 10cm cube, weighing just 11.5kg. Since then, the satellite has deployed its winged thermal management system and solar panels, expanding its dimensions to nearly one meter in width.
Professor Michele Trenti, the SpIRIT principal investigator and an astrophysicist at the University of Melbourne, pointed out the complexity of the project. He said, “SpIRIT is a complex satellite designed and built in Australia, with many components flying for the first time,” highlighting the teamwork involved in the mission. The satellite includes a scientific instrument contributed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), emphasizing international cooperation in space exploration. Now that SpIRIT has finished tough in-space testing, the team is confident it is ready for the next exciting phase of its mission.
The satellite’s advanced technology includes Inovor Technology’s Apogee satellite bus, Neumann Space’s metal-ion thruster, and several systems developed by the University of Melbourne. These include the thermal management system, the Mercury communication module, and the Payload Management System, and further, it can be depicted that these components ensure the satellite operates efficiently and meets mission goals. SpIRIT has a strict communication schedule, with a brief 10-minute window during its 90-minute orbit to send data and receive commands through Nova System’s ground station in South Australia.
A key part of the SpIRIT mission is the HERMES instrument, a prototype detector funded by ASI and built in Italy under the guidance of the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF). Enrico Palermo, the Head of the Australian Space Agency, said that this small instrument, which has completed its testing phase, has proven to work well by observing the Crab gamma pulsar with just 700 seconds of observation. This instrument is designed to detect gamma-ray bursts and the most powerful cosmic explosions caused by events like the collapse of massive stars, the formation of black holes, and the collision of neutron stars.
These unpredictable events can last from a few milliseconds to several hours. SpIRIT will be a crucial part of a group of low Earth orbit nanosatellites, providing early alerts to astronomers about gamma-ray bursts as they occur. This real-time data will allow for quick follow-up investigations by ground-based observatories. Moreover, with its initial phase now finished, SpIRIT is expected to stay operational for more than 1,000 days in total, continuing its important role in the global effort to understand the universe’s most violent phenomena.
