QYRO PETER Satellite Mission Management

The QYRO project is a joint effort of Robert Bosch GmbH, Q.ANT, Trumpf Photonic Components, Trumpf Laser Berlin, Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik (FBH), and the German Aerospace Center Galileo Competence Center (DLR-GK). Its purpose is to promote Germany’s role in the space sector by demonstrating the performance of a miniaturised next generation quantum optical gyroscope and therefore pave the way for a commercial use of this new technology for a German company on the promising New Space market. Therefore, the project shall design and develop a miniaturized, high precision nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) Gyroscope for the use in the satellites. This quantum-based gyro – QYRO – shall be launched and validated in space against state-of-the-art attitude determination systems for CubeSat missions. For that purpose, DLR’s task in this project is to establish the definition and design of the mission to host the QYRO unit. Followed by supporting the other project partners to manufacture a space qualified version of the ground based QYRO unit. Additionally, DLR-KN with the support from GK, will integrate GALANT phased array antenna for space positioning applications, which additionally will be investigated in a first approximation to make the interference detection function usable in space. The payload will be constituted by two QYRO units, the GALANT electronics module together with its antenna module, a reference gyroscope and finally a payload computer. The mission will be launched into an SSO with an apoapsis and periapsis height between 400 and 550 km. In terms of operations, communications and the payload on-board computer software, the valuable experience of DLR-SC and DLR-RB will contribute to a successful operation of the CubeSat. The last stage of the project would comprise launching and operating the CubeSat in space to conduct the in-orbit validation test campaign. The Contractor shall be responsible of providing the Mission Management for the integrated 16U Flight Model of PETER, provide the dispenser for the satellite, support its integration into it and acceptance testing, coordinating export control, shipment to launch site and integration to launcher as well as procuring the launcher on behalf of DLR e.V. Further details about the Contractor requirements and responsibilities have been defined in the attached Specification of Services.