Sri Lanka’s third nano-satellite, BIRDS-X Dragonfly, developed with the expertise of local engineers, is scheduled to be launched into orbit tomorrow (19), the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies in Moratuwa announced.
The satellite was carried to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the SpaceX-33 rocket, launched by NASA on August 24.
Sri Lanka previously launched its first nano-satellite, Ravana-1, in 2019, followed by KITSUNE in 2022, which was part of a multinational collaboration involving five international partners.
BIRDS-X Dragonfly is set to be released into its designated orbit from the ISS at 2:15 p.m. tomorrow.
The main missions of BIRDS-X include:
- In-orbit testing of a new communication subsystem: Evaluating a low-cost UHF transceiver built from commercial off-the-shelf components (COTS) to explore affordable and reliable ground-to-space communications for future nano-satellite missions.
- APRS Digipeater: Providing a satellite-based platform to relay Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) messages, allowing global amateur radio operators and researchers to experiment with satellite communication using their own Digipeater designs.
- Store-and-Forward Communication: Demonstrating a data relay system where user messages can be uploaded, stored onboard, and later downlinked to ground stations in different regions.
