The BRITE Constellation nanosatellite mission: Testing, commissioning and operations

Abstract

BRITE (BRIght Target Explorer) Constellation, the first nanosatellite mission applied to astrophysical research, is a collaboration among Austria, Canada and Poland. The fleet of satellites (6 launched, 5 functioning) performs precise optical photometry of the brightest stars in the night sky. A pioneering mission like BRITE - with optics and instruments restricted to small volume, mass and power in several nanosatellites, whose measurements must be coordinated in orbit - poses many unique challenges. We discuss the technical issues, including problems encountered during on-orbit commissioning (especially higher-than expected sensitivity of the CCDs to particle radiation). We describe in detail how the BRITE team has mitigated these problems, and provide a complete overview of mission operations. This paper serves as a template for how to effectively plan, build and operate future low-cost niche-driven space astronomy missions.

54 pages, 12 figures, accepted by PASP

Cited by in corpus (21)

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• X-ray Spectroscopy of the gamma-ray Brightest Nova V906 Car (ASASSN-18fv)
• Seismic modelling of early B-type pulsators observed by BRITE: I. $\theta$ Ophiuchi
• $\epsilon$ Lupi: measuring the heartbeat of a doubly-magnetic massive binary with BRITE-Constellation
• The variability of the BRITE-est Wolf-Rayet binary, ${\gamma }^2$ Velorum I. Photometric and spectroscopic evidence for colliding winds
• The chaotic wind of WR 40 as probed by BRITE
• The $\beta$ Pictoris b Hill sphere transit campaign. Paper I: Photometric limits to dust and rings
• BRITE-Constellation reveals evidence for pulsations in the enigmatic binary $\eta$ Carinae
• BRITE-Constellation photometry of $\bpi^5$ Orionis, an ellipsoidal SPB variable
• Stellar masses from granulation and oscillations of 23 bright red giants observed by BRITE - Constellation
• Constraining the near-core rotation of the gamma Doradus star 43 Cygni using BRITE-Constellation data
• Space Photometry with BRITE-Constellation
• BRITE observations of $\nu$ Centauri and $\gamma$ Lupi, the first non-eclipsing members of the new class of nascent binaries
• Evolving pulsation of the slowly rotating magnetic $\beta$ Cep star ${\xi }^1$ CMa
• New BRITE-Constellation observations of the roAp star Alpha Circini
• Spectrum of the secondary component and new orbital elements of the massive triple star Delta Ori A
• Optimization of exposure time division for wide field observations