Operational Challenges and Experience Learnt from Operating a Satellite with High-Thrust Electric Propulsion

THE MISSION Launch date: 07 November 2021 Object name: R2 NORAD-ID: 46913 Platform: design based on the M6P platform Size: 6U Manufacturer: NanoAvionics Payloads: from Exotrail - a high-thrust, electrical Hall Effect Thruster - and a RF payload LAUNCH PARAMETERS Altitude: 571 km - Inclination: 36.9° - Eccentricity: 0.001 GROUND STATION NETWORKS Due to the low inclination, NanoAvionics-owned stations do not have visibility Leaf Space provided communication through their Leaf Line GSaaS with stations in Italy and in New-Zealand MISSION OBJECTIVES FOR THE THRUSTER PAYLOAD Main objective: configure the thruster for a firing and perform an ignition with nominal parameters. Bonus: Perform altitude change significant enough to validate orbit phasing and plane change.