Geoscan 16U Satellite platform

2025: Presentation "Geoscan 16U"

On Geoscan April 28, 2025, GC "" presented satellite the Geoskan 16U platform for remote sensing (Lands remote sensing). The platform is distinguished by one of the most accurate orientation and stabilization systems among cubsats, which allows you to obtain high-quality data DZZ. The launch of the first satellite based on Geoskan 16U is planned in the summer of 2025. It will also become the first Russian spacecraft cubsat 16U in orbit of the Earth.

The orientation and stabilization system consists of sensors (star sensor, three-axis fiber-optic gyroscope, GNSS receiver, magnetometers and solar sensors), flywheel engine unit and electromagnetic coils.

Geoscan implemented in program code the algorithms of the orientation determination and control system developed by the M.V. Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The instruments and algorithms of the system make it possible to maintain the orientation of the MKA with an accuracy of 0.006 °/s, which ensures the fulfillment of the requirements imposed by the DZZ chamber.

An efficient uninterruptible power supply system with a 230 Wh battery allows you to survey the earth's surface and transmit data at each turn.

Large amounts of data are transferred from the payload using a high-speed X-band transmitter with a bandwidth of 250 Mbps. For MCU control, telemetry reception and software update, a VHF transceiver with a maximum data transfer rate of 57.6 kbit/s is installed on board.

The platform has redundant control modules for orientation, communication and power systems, so it has increased reliability and continues to work even if one of these elements fails.

The platform is a completely Russian development. All systems, except the star sensor and fiber-optic gyroscope, were created in Geoscan.

In the development of the Geoskan 16U platform, the main task was to create a reliable system that will guide the DZZ cameras with maximum accuracy to obtain high-quality data. We managed to achieve this - among similar Russian MKAs, the Geoskan platform is one of the most precise. At the same time, it is universal and can be adapted for communication tasks, experiments and testing of devices of Russian customers, - commented Dmitry Borovitsky, head of the development department of the Geoskan Group of Companies.