Small Explorer for Advanced Missions
SEAM
From 2013-09-05 to 2016-10-01, ongoing project.
FP-7 Collaborative Project No 606197 - Small or medium-scale focused
research project.
Work programme topics addressed: SPA.2013.3.1-01: SME space technology
research and technology transfer.
“SEAM” is the FP7
project involving LCISR collaborators.
Nano-satellites are becoming a reality and are being used for
increasingly complex missions. However, to facilitate more advanced
scientific missions greater capabilities are needed in terms of mission
life-time, communication bandwidth and attitude determination and
control. Many science applications of nano-satellites are currently
being explored for future implementation, especially in the US, and the
SEAM project will ensure that Europe develops the required technology to
maintain and strengthen our current leading role in the nanosatellite
market.
The SEAM project has as objective to develop and demonstrate a robust &
reliable 3kg satellite platform developed specifically to support
science missions. Special emphasis will be put on magnetic cleanliness
of the spacecraft, which will allow magnetosphere missions to be
conducted with the platform. To meet requirements for magnetic
cleanliness new developments are needed for many of the subsystems to be
provided by the consortium partners.
The project is lead by KTH, Sweden, representing a science customer for
a nano-satellite platform and the platform development will be
undertaken by a group of leading SMEs in the emerging market for
nano-satellites representing both a system integrator (GOM) subsystem
developers (AAC, ECM, KAYSER) and payload technology providers (BLE,
LEMI). Finally SSC is responsible for the S-band ground network support.
The consortium thus represents the complete value chain for a scientific
mission and the project will demonstrate a complete scientific mission
development and operations process. ECM who has access to launch
opportunities in Russia will procure the launch of the satellite.
With the result of the project in terms of the SEAM satellite and the
proven effectiveness of this platform and associated business network
representing the value chain the consortium partners will be in a good
position to start offering platforms and turn-key mission solutions to
science users.
List of participants: