A Multi-National Multi-Institutional Educaiton Framework: APSCO SSS-2B CubeSat Project

Initiated in early 2015 and officially started by the end of 2016, Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) Student Small Satellite (SSS) program aims student and faculties training from Member States (Bangladesh, China, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan, Peru, Thailand and Turkey) by involving them in a real satellite design project where they can experience the whole life cycle of a space mission. With this, the program also targets capacity building and human resource development. Within the scope of the program, a constellation of three satellites, one micro satellite (SSS-1) and two 3U cube satellites (SSS-2A and SSS-2B), will be designed, manufactured and operated. In this paper, educational and technical activities of the APSCO SSS project will be presented from the perspective of SSS-2B cube satellite. The framework for an effective education program will be discussed considering the dynamics and common interests between the international actors ranging from governmental and public institutions to universities and non-governmental organizations. First, the education approach and programs such as three-week long summer camps will be presented. Next, the preliminary design outputs of SSS-2B satellite including mission and system specifications will be summarized.