Satellite Forensics: Analysing Sparse Beacon Data to Reveal the Fate of DTUsat-2

Figure 1

Two segments of the mission timeline for DTUsat-2. The top part shows the launch sequence from Yasny launch complex in Russia (Y), the satellite deployment (D) and satellite contact during first orbit, which passed over DTUsat ground station (indicated with dashed lines). The lower part shows the expected behaviour of the satellite after the attitude control system has locked it to the Earth magnetic field. The letter “c” indicates an arbitrary beacon count number between 0 and 32767 in the communication system beacon. During the three consecutive passes, nominal behaviour dictates that the number should steadily increase until it rolls over to zero at 32767. The letter “o” indicates the expected on-board computer beacons, which should occur in between the communication system beacons. N, S, and 0° indicates North, South, and equator, respectively. The yellow and grey bar indicates daylight and eclipse, respectively.