Kyushu university micro-satellite qtex project

The project of micro-satellite QTEX (KYUshu university Tethered satellites Experiments) which is progressing at Kyushu University in Japan is reported in this paper. QTEX is assumed to be launched as a piggy-back satellite using Japanese domestic rocket H-IIA in 2006. The dimension of the satellite is approximately 50×50×50 cm³. The weight of the satellite is less than 50 kg. QTEX, consisting of tether deployment system and bus system, performs deployment of 2 km length of tether connected with a mother and a daughter satellite at its both ends. We named the daughter satellite of QTEX as QTEX-PR (QTEX - Public Relations) which includes bus system only and bread board model of QTEX-PR are now being developed under student initiative. It enabled to develop tether deployment system and bus system separately, and furthermore, because QTEX-PR can function as one satellite, we can launch QTEX-PR alone if we get an opportunity to launch it before the completion of whole QTEX. Structural analysis, thermal analysis and simulation of attitude determination and control having done at the present time prove that the designs of QTEX-PR are valid enough.