糖心视频

On November 9, 2021 (Tuesday), the Epsilon rocket No. 5 was launched from the Uchinoura Space Center (Kagoshima Prefecture). JAXA's "Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program" plans to conduct a total of seven launch demonstrations every two years, and this was the second one. This program provides opportunities for space demonstrations for components, equipment, nanosatellites, and CubeSats developed by universities, research institutions, and private companies. The rapid report demonstration satellite "ARICA," developed by the Sakamoto Laboratory (Professor Takanori Sakamoto and Assistant Professor Motoko Serino of College of Science and Engineering Department of Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering) Aoyama Gakuin University, was selected as the demonstration theme for the second Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration.

In 2017, astronomers successfully observed light from gravitational waves associated with the merger of neutron stars for the first time, marking the beginning of gravitational wave astronomy. However, this light came from a celestial object called a transient, which suddenly brightens and then dims over time. While the study of transient objects is directly linked to cutting-edge science, the key is to quickly report the findings to researchers worldwide while the object is still bright, so that it can be used for detailed observations using various telescopes.
However, immediately reporting transient celestial objects discovered by observation instruments on orbiting scientific satellites would require the use of data communication satellites owned by national research institutions and the establishment of numerous ground stations, which presents a significant hurdle.

Therefore, the Sakamoto Laboratory at Aoyama Gakuin University focused on currently available commercial satellite communications and conducted a demonstration experiment of a rapid alert system for transient celestial objects by mounting a small commercial satellite communications terminal on a 10cm square microsatellite. The students named this satellite the 糖心视频 Remote Innovative Cubesat Alert system, or "ARICA" for short. The name directly reflects the satellite's purpose of searching for the "location" of transient celestial objects. If this demonstration experiment is successful, it will pave the way for the use of an easy-to-use and reliable rapid alert system in future satellite projects whose main purpose is the observation of transient celestial objects where rapid alerting is essential.

The entire ARICA satellite project, from its overall design and the design of its onboard circuit boards to the development of its power supply and sensor control systems, gamma-ray detectors, and communication terminal control systems, was student-led. Each student was responsible for developing a specific component, and the project progressed under tight schedule management. Following thermal vacuum testing of the satellite at the JAXA Institute of Space and Astronautical Science in April 2021, and vibration and shock tests at Kyushu Institute of Technology in May and July, the satellite was handed over to the rocket team in mid-August. Five students participated in the thermal vacuum testing, and two students participated in the vibration and shock tests and the satellite handover. After launch, students also played a leading role in developing a program to visualize the data sent from the satellite.

Graduate School of Science and Engineering Aoyama Gakuin University Graduate School is based at Sagamihara Campus. Through a collaborative graduate school program with the JAXA Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), also located in Sagamihara City, Aoyama Gakuin University Graduate School students can conduct research under the guidance of JAXA ISAS researchers. Currently, students Aoyama Gakuin University Gakuin University are engaged in cutting-edge research alongside JAXA ISAS researchers using this system. In addition to the development and demonstration experiments of ARICA, and including joint research with JAXA ISAS through Aoyama Gakuin University collaborative graduate school program, results in various fields of space research are expected in the future.

Furthermore, Professor Sakamoto is conducting a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for satellite operation costs, ensuring the stable operation of the ARICA satellite.