SUCHAI 2

SUCHAI 2 [SPEL]

SUCHAI 2 (Satellite of the University of Chile for Aerospace Investigation 2) is a 3U CubeSat developed by the University of Chile to continue the space environment research initiated by the original SUCHAI mission. The satellite carries a suite of scientific instruments, including two magnetometers, a flat Langmuir probe, two particle counters, a dual-frequency GPS receiver, an in-house-developed star tracker, and a UV-visible camera.

The primary objective of SUCHAI-2 is the investigation of the Earth's ionosphere and magnetosphere. Its payload measures magnetic fields, charged particle fluxes, plasma density, and ionospheric conditions to improve the understanding of near-Earth space weather. The addition of a UV-visible camera also enables optical observations as a secondary scientific mission.

Unlike the deployable spherical Langmuir probe flown on the first SUCHAI satellite, SUCHAI-2 uses a flat Langmuir probe that requires accurate spacecraft pointing. To support this requirement, the satellite demonstrates an advanced attitude determination and control system featuring inertial sensors, an in-house-developed star tracker, magnetorquers, and a three-axis reaction wheel system developed by the University of Chile. These technologies provide precise attitude estimation and control while serving as technology demonstrations for future Chilean spacecraft.