A University of Calgary Satellite Takes Aim at Mysterious Aurora Phenomena

Sunday May 3rd marked an exciting, triumphant day for the 100’s of students who had a hand in creating their own nano-satellite. The project, which is student led and features multiple different programs, have been working around the clock since 2020, in order to begin their own research into an atmospheric phenomenon called STEVE, (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement), which was first observed in late 2015. The satellite itself is no bigger than a loaf of bread, but is the first Calgary designed and developed satellite in low orbit in history.

Sunday Morning’s Launch
Credit: Space X

The project, 6 years in the making, finally came to a head last Sunday, where the satellite was slated to be launched in California. The successful launch was watched by many on a SpaceX livestream and in-person.

This was only half the battle, as this past weekend was spent establishing contact through a newly designed on-board computer, which takes orders from the ground, and maintaining a connection with the satellite.

Its payload features a small plasma imaging instrument that measures wind activity in the ionosphere, the upper region of Earth’s atmosphere, which is where solar wind particles collide with oxygen and nitrogen gasses that create the Aurora, and more importantly, STEVE, a glowing ribbon of purple-ish light that can be seen in the right conditions.

Satellite Trajectory.
Source: SpaceX

The plasma imaging instrument was designed by assistant professor, Johnathan Burchill and another component, the deployable composite lattice boom, which is designed to activate and extend in space, was designed by Nick Elderfield, a PhD candidate at the U of C.

We got to speak with the designer of the plasma imaging instrument and assistant professor in the Physics and Astronomy department Jonathan Burchill about who’s all involved with the monumental project.