MSE

FUNcube is a UK Amateur Radio Satellite for science education in schools and for use by radio amateurs as a relay station (transponder).

It will have a Materials Science Experiment (MSE) on board which in essence will measure the temperature of materials with different surfaces (eg one white or silver, one black). As the satellite moves in and out of sunlight as it moves round the earth, the sensors will measure the temperatures of the two test surfaces. Being of different colours, the temperature changes will be different like the classic Leslie’s cube experiment, frequently carried out in schools. The data from the satellite will be sent to earth via our telemetry system, and the decoded data can be used by school classes to plot the change in temperature of the two different samples.

See the page about the Ground Station for details of the equipment required to receive this data.

The picture below shows a ‘standard’ solar panel, of which there will be six, one on each side of the satellite. One of the panels will be modified by having two narrow strips of aluminium attached, as can be seen in the picture. One is coloured black (maximum radiated heat transfer) and the other white or silver (to be confirmed) (minimum radiated heat transfer). Each of these strips will have a thermistor embedded in it, and the temperature of each strip will be telemetered to the ground. It is expected that as the satellite goes in and out of eclipse, that the two strips will heat up/cool down at different rates, thus demonstrating the differing rates of heat transfer.
Solar Panel, modified to show mounting of MSE strip, one black, one white

There is another pair of thermistors mounted with the structure of the satellite. See the Structure page for pictures of the two differently coloured frames.

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