2016.A.3.3. SERB, a nano-satellite to observe the Sun and the Earth: interest for an orbit around the Lagrangian L1 point and the Sun

Author(s)

Mustapha Meftah (1)

CNRS-LATMOS, France

Session

A.3

Keywords

Nano-satellites, Sun-Earth relationships, Total Solar Irradiance, Earth radiation budget, UV

Abstract

The Solar irradiance and Earth Radiation Budget (SERB) mission is a future innovative proof-of-concept nano-satellite, with three ambitious science goals. The nano-satellite aims to measure on the same platform the different components of the Earth radiative budget, the absolute value of the total solar irradiance and its variability, and the UV solar spectral variability. SERB is proposed for the nano-satellite program of Polytechnic School (X-CubeSat II) and CNES for a flight in 2020-2021. SERB is a triple Cubesat, under development by students, mostly working at Polytechnic School. Critical components of instrumental payloads of future large missions (coatings, UV filters, etc.) can acquire the technical maturity by flying in a CubeSat. Nano-satellites represent also an excellent alternative of instrumentation testing, providing longer flights than rockets. Moreover, targeted science can be performed by nano-satellites. Thus, this talk is intended to present a future space mission enabled by the development of nano-satellites and the underlying technologies they employ. SERB will use a sun-synchronous low Earth orbit at an altitude of about 600 km and near polar inclination. However, we will explain the interest to use an orbit around the Lagrangian L1 point and the Sun (solar metrology requires a stable space environment).