NANOSAT-01: Three Years of Mission. Magnetic Scientific Results

Abstract

Three years after the launch of NANOSAT-01, the first Spanish test-bed platform for microtechnology and nanoscience, we report on the analysis of the magnetic data received from the magnetic sensor of the ACS—Attitude Control Subsystem. This magnetometer is based on an AMR—Anisotropic MagnetoResistance COTS Commercial Off-The-Shelf transducer by Honeywell. The in-flight experience of this first analysis of a COTS magnetic sensor mapping and the comparison of the in-orbit data with the models of the Earth magnetic field in LEO—Low Earth Orbit let us affirm that the AMR technology is not only adequate for measuring the magnetic field in-orbit but also is a technology valid for a highly aggressive environment as is the case of a LEO.