Altium Designer helps first Hungarian satellite launch into space on board Vega

While the construction of the satellite is a pilot project that primarily serves educational purposes, the results of this technical experiment will facilitate the development of more sophisticated satellites in the future. MASAT-1 has now reached orbit on board the premiere flight of the ESA Vega launcher and is transmitting data to Earth. The satellite is equipped with a small camera from which it has been sending pictures of the Earth and outer space since 8 March to the Hungarian ground control station. So the launch of this complex project has been a complete success.

Altium Designer in satellite development
Every electronic system – whether designed for use in space or terrestrial applications – consists of sub-modules and sub-units. This also applies to the Masat-1 satellite, which comprises a power management unit, a communication subsystem, an on-board computer plus a subsystem for determining and controlling the altitude. Given the complexity of the project, close collaboration with the mechanical engineers using CATIA (Computer Aided Three-Dimensional Interactive Application, Dassault Systemes) was key. It was further necessary to keep the management of the bill of materials simple and to ensure fast and uniform generation of documentation. Straightforward directory management for SMD and TH components was another important project requirement.

Few design systems provide all the necessary functions and capabilities for such a comprehensive project. Thanks to Altium Designer version control it was possible to ensure the development of hardware and software throughout the entire design process on the basis of current data. In addition, the tool supports exporting into PDF and XLS formats, which is essential for the proper management of design projects. 3D representation plus a highly intuitive user interface have further eased development. Modifications were simple and the schematic and PCB libraries of the project could be managed consistently and uniformly.

With the transmission of the first data from space Altium Designer has met all requirements and significantly contributed to the successful completion of this collaborative project by the BME Departments of Electron Devices and Broadband Infocommunications & Electromagnetic Theory.

Altium Designer gained the appreciation not only of the students but also of the professors who supported them. As a result, the CAD toolkit has now been integrated in the curriculum of Budapest University.