LPRS Sponsors Warwick University Satellite (WUSat) Project


eRIC excels under extreme conditions of atmosphere re-entry.



Low Power Radio Solutions (LPRS), World-Wide Radio specialists supplying robust wireless solutions where reliability is paramount, is pleased to announce itself as a new product sponsor in support of the Warwickshire University Satellite (WUSat) Programme[e1 .



The Warwickshire University Satellite Team, now in their ninth year of operation was in the beginning - an undergraduate team created by Dr William E Crofts: BA; MSc by Research; PhD (Warwick); MIET; MIEEE; Chartered Engineer, to complete six years of work as the electrical power subsystem team on ESA's moon orbiting satellite (ESMO).



The WUSAT project, run by this team of Engineering Undergraduates,  commenced in 2012 with the aim of producing a CubeSat (a nanosatellite which is typically in the form of a cube 0.1m wide, with a mass of less than 1.33kg) to launch into orbit. Their first project was WUSAT-1 where the team launched their first CubeSat to an altitude of 30km via a high-altitude weather balloon. This project explored the harsh environment the CubeSat would be subjected to, an environment where the ambient temperature can fall as low as -50°C.



The team successfully achieved the second phase of this objective in April 2015 as part of the prestigious DLR/SNSB project REXUS (Rocket Experiment for University Students) where WUSAT-2 was launched from Sweden's Space Centre (Esrange) to an altitude of 87km. The CubeSat was ejected from the rocket's nosecone payload and returned to earth at speeds approaching Mach2. During descent, The CubeSat's spectroscopy payload measured elements of the earth's atmosphere and transmitted the data, via LPRS radio modules, to a ground station receiver. This was the first occasion that an ESA/Rexus launch device had successfully achieved stand-alone radio transmission on re-entry. A major achievement for the team and for the LPRS components to work under such extreme conditions.



The WUSAT's CubeSat radio transmission system uses LPRS' eRIC (easyRadio Integrated Controller) modules for communication and in component prototypes. Donated initially by RS Components, the eRIC module is the latest in LPRS' worldwide sub-1GHz easyRadio range which provides secure data transmission, on-board user programmable application memory and fully programmable low power options.



Dr Crofts commented in recent correspondence with LPRS,

"…the communications subsystem is always going to be a critical part of our satellites as we begin to work on our next mission – WUSAT-3."



LPRS is very excited to have the opportunity to assist Engineers of the future in discovering the potential and new limits of wireless technology, and are consistently amazed by the projects and innovations they see via universities and academy's – there seems to be no bounds to the imaginative use of technology. LPRS are grateful to RS Components (uk.rs-online.com) for introducing the WUSAT team to eRIC.



The project website is regularly updated with news and mission status' www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/eng/meng/wusat/ as well as the LPRS website www.lprs.co.uk/wusat.



LPRS designs and manufactures the highly successful eRIC and easyRadio Advanced (eRA) wireless modules in the UK. LPRS product range now includes; Raspberry Pi and Arduino Shield wireless platforms, antennas, wireless key fobs, a wide range of sensor products, Circuit Design wireless products and the IQRF range of wireless mesh networking components for telemetry, industrial control and building automation.



For more information call +44(0)1993 709418, email sales@lprs.co.uk or visit LPRS at www.lprs.co.uk



About LPRS: LPRS is Europe's leading radio solutions supplier. Customers benefit from more than 20 years' experience in the design and supply of a broad range of solutions across the licence free radio frequency bands. Specialising in Low Power Radio Modules and Mesh Network solutions, its innovative "easyRadio Advanced" range incorporating the unique, "easy-Radio" software protocol, is manufactured in the UK and reduces application development timescales enabling rapid prototyping and product rollout.



In addition the LPRS portfolio includes FM modules from Circuit Design Inc., the IQRF Mesh Network platform, Visual Control Panels from IQVCP and a competitively priced range of radio key fobs aimed at the volume market. These are supplemented with antennas and connectors designed to provide a "total solution" capability. LPRS, and its technical team, can be contacted via the company's website www.lprs.co.uk.



Barry Gillibrand

Low Power Radio Solutions

Two Rivers Industrial Estate 

Station Lane    

Witney       

OX28 4BH                

Tel: +44(0)1993 709418  

Fax: +44 (0)1993 708575    

Barry.gillibrand@lprs.co.uk



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