3Cat-Gea

The preliminary version of this solution is called C3SatP (see image) and will be used to test the technical concept, various data compression algorithms and the behaviour of a key processing electronics component in orbit. The C3SatP includes an On Board Computer (OBC), an On Board Data Handler (OBDH) for high-performance calculations and operations, and a Software Defined Radio (SDR) board, used for Internet of Things (IoT) and telecommunications applications. The project was funded by the Producte grant of the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) of the Government of Catalonia.

In the framework of this first phase, the project has continued to evolve by adapting to particular contexts and applications. For example, it is the secondary payload on the GENEO (Menut) Earth observation mission, which was launched in early 2023 as part of the IEEC's satellite service contracts, and will be the primary payload on the 3Cat8 scientific mission led by the NanoSat Lab at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Its main applications are those required by Earth observation missions, which need to process images and/or radio frequency data on board the satellite itself, using data compression and/or artificial intelligence algorithms.

The C3SatP thus constitutes the secondary payload for Menut (currently in orbit) to test its in-orbit behaviour and thus gain the necessary flight experience to be used as the basis for the design of a primary payload for future missions. The final version of this solution, called SmartC3, will implement advanced hardware and software techniques to mitigate the effects of radiation on electronic components, optimising the current techniques based on the analysis of C3SatP's behaviour in orbit.

The 3Cat-Gea project is an R&D&I activity funded by the Government of Catalonia within the framework of the NewSpace Strategy of Catalonia.