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D-SAT
30 Engineers. 1 CubeSat. 3 In-orbit experiments. The first satellite to ever re-enter the atmoshpere in a
direct and controlled way.
D-Orbit
First created · 0 backed
$13,038
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Funding Unsuccessful
The project's funding goal was not reached on Mon, July 3 2017 2:00 AM CDT
Last updated July 4, 2017
Campaign
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FAQ 1
Updates 19
Comments 22
Community
D-Sat is a small satellite equipped with a dedicated propulsive device to remove it from
orbit in a quick, direct, and controlled way at the end of its mission.
 PLAY
D-Sat was successfully launched on Friday June 23rd, 2017, from Satish Dhawan Space
Centre in India atop a PSLV rocket. At the end of its mission, D-Sat will re-enter the
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atmosphere in a direct and controlled way through a dedicated device, burning up instead
of becoming new debris.
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D-Sat mission timeline
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To understand why this is important, we have put an (eye-catching and) informative section
explaining the importance of space-based assets and the problem of "space debris" at the
bottom of the page. On the other hand, if you're already familiar with this issue, you probably
agree with us: it is time to come up with a practical and cost-effective solution to help
create the foundations for a new generation of self-decommissioning satellites.
D-Sat is the first satellite in history that will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in a direct and
controlled way right after the completion of its mission, burning up instead of becoming
new debris. D-Sat is a three-unit CubeSat designed, built, and operated by D-Orbit. It will be
launched into a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit, a region where the issue of space debris is
particularly serious.
This mission serves two purposes: technology validation, and scientific investigation.
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D-Sat
The commercial aspect of the mission, proving the D-Sat is a viable and space-worthy
technology, is completely on us. D-Sat was launched on June 23rd, 2017, and perform the
decommissioning maneuver sometimes afterward. But there is more to D-Sat than just reentry. We wanted to make sure that this mission would harness the full potential and
opportunities granted by sending a satellite to space, so we partnered with several
institutions to include three experiments that will be performed throughout the mission’s
lifetime. In tune with our philosophy, all three experiments have a social impact.
Throughout its mission, D-Sat will perform three experiments: SatAlert, Debris Collision
Alerting System (DeCas), and Atmosphere Analyzer.
SatAlert, designed in collaboration with CNIT and the University of Florence, is an in-orbit
validation of the Multiple Alert Message Encapsulation (MAMES) emergency protocol. D-Sat
will collect MAMES emergency messages sent from a ground station, store them onboard,
and re-broadcast them to national public safety entities upon receiving a trigger command.
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This experiment will validate a typical emergency scenario where civil defense agencies
need to broadcast instructions in areas affected by natural disasters when the ground
telecommunication infrastructures have been damaged.
SatAlert Experiment
These emergency scenarios are becoming increasingly common given the tight correlation
between climate change and extreme weather conditions like hurricanes, wildfires,
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tornadoes, extreme rainfalls, and floods, and for this reason SatAlert may help saving lives.
Should you be interested in the topic, here are a few articles you might like to read:
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN: Is There a Strong Link between Extreme Weather Events and
Climate Change?
TIME MAGAZINE: Scientists Are Making Stronger Links Between Climate Change and
Extreme Weather
EPA: Understanding the link between climate change and extreme weather
NEW YORK TIMES: Scientists Study Links Between Climate Change and Extreme Weather
DeCas, developed in by Aviosonic, is an experiment to assess the dynamics of the debris
footprint associated with the re-entry of a spacecraft. DeCas is a sort of small and
lightweight “smart fragment” with the ability to determine its own position during re-entry
phase. During the re-entry, DeCas activate itself and broadcast information about its
location. In a real-world scenario, this information would be processed on the ground to
determine the debris footprint, which would then be transmitted in real-time to airplanes
flying over that zone and populated areas below. D-Sat will validate this approach by
simulating the use of DeCas during the orbital phase, and performing an actual test during
re-entry.
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DeCas Experiment
Atmosphere Analyzer is a data collection experiment aimed at collecting in-situ
atmospheric data from the lower ionosphere during the re-entry maneuver. Before breaking
up, D-Sat will cross the region between 80 km and 150 km. This is the least studied region
of the atmosphere because it can’t be reached by satellites or stratospheric balloons. By
doing so, D-SAT will validate an innovative approach for an in-situ data collection system
that will be further developed in a dedicated mission in 2019.
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Atmosphere Analyzer Experiment
If you decide to back the campaign (which we encourage you to do! :D) these are the
rewards we have prepared to show you our gratitude!
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MISSION FAN: At €5 you will have our eternal gratitude! Plus, a Twitter shout-out and, of
course, as a member of team D-Sat, backers' only updates!
MISSION SUPPORTER: With €10 you will also receive a digital Certificate of support!
Our certificates of support!
MISSION FRIEND: With €15 you can add to the digital bag of goodies a collection of 3
mission-themed wallpapers!
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Mission wallpapers, available from the Mission Friend level up
NEW REWARD - MISSION USB: with €12 you get this elegant 8GB USB key with our mission
logo!
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Our very sleek Mission USB Key!
NEW REWARD - MISSION MUG: with €20 you get to take home with you this enchanting
mission mug, which is sure to put you in a good mood from the very beginning of your day!
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NEW REWARD - Mission Mug
SPACE COLLECTOR: If you're into gadgets, this reward tier is for you! Other than the digital
rewards, with €35 (or €25 for a few early birds!) you will also receive 10 mission pins, 8
mission stickers and our exclusive D-Sat mission embroidered badge!
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Mission's stickers, pins and embroidered badge, available from the Space Collector level up!
A better look at our pretty pins :)
SPACE FASHIONISTA: With a pledge of €50 (€40 for the early birds) you will be able to
download all our digital goodies, and will also receive our collection of pins and stickers, the
mission badge and the mission t-shirt!
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Mission t-shirt, available at the Space Fashionista level
SPACE DECORATOR: At € 100 an eye-popping mission poster, signed by the members of our
team is the gem of this reward level! Poster dimensions are 50x66cm (19,7x26in).
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Printed mission poster, available at the Space Decorator level
SPACE MASCOT: At this level you get to take home the plush toy version of our adorable,
uber-huggable mascot, realized by the creative and talented folks at budsies.com!
(Approximately 16 inches/40 cm in size).
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A graphic representation of our D-Sat Mascot!
AVID LEARNER: Our people are men and women of many talents! And they'd be happy to
share them with you. At €350, you will be able to choose two of our 101 video-courses. From
a bike-repair lesson to cooking classes and culture/traveling guides, we've got you
covered!
LEGIT SPACE GEEK: At this level you'll get to learn a bit more about space from our own CTO,
Lorenzo! His crash course in Space Engineering specifically designed for non-engineers is
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a great resource for anyone who wants to learn more about this fascinating environment,
regardless of their academic background.
Space Engineering for Non-Engineers
STAR GAZER: Do you enjoy star gazing? Well, we dare say that with our mission sweatshirt, a
cozy mission fleece and our own Star-gazing 101 pamphlet you'll enjoy it even more!
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Mission Sweatshirt, available at the Star-Gazer level
MISSION AMBASSADOR: At this level starts the Ambassador Program! We could not be more
grateful for your support and involvement in the mission and to show our gratitude we want
to invite you and guest to our decommissioning event in our headquarters in Como, Italy!
Plus, a Newton reflector telescope (4.5in-class or similar), with a laminated sticker with our
mission logo and your name (and, should you decide to donate the telescope to a school of
your choice, the name of the school).
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MISSION COWBOY: You are our hero. And to show you our appreciation, you and a guest are
invited to the decommissioning event at our headquarters, in Como (Italy) and we will send
you (or a school of your choice) a Newton reflector telescope (6in-class or similar) with a
laminated sticker with our mission logo and your name (and, should you decide to donate
the telescope to a school of your choice, the name of the school).
MISSION ROCKSTAR: The title of this reward says it all. You're a rockstar! And as such, we'd
be honored to have you and a guest attend our decommissioning event at our headquarters
in Como, Italy. Plus, at this level, you will receive a computerized reflector telescope (6inclass or similar), with an engraved plaque with our mission logo and your name (and, should
you decide to donate the telescope to a school of your choice, the name of the school).
SPACE TRAVELER: Have you ever been to Italy? Would you like to come back? At this level,
not only you'll be able to participate in our Ambassador program, but you'll be a special
guest at our decommissioning event, and we'll offer you a week long stay in stunning Lake
Como.
Lake Como, Italy
Please note that travel expenses to and from Italy are not included.
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Reward Tiers
Aside from backing the campaign, the most valuable thing you can do for the mission is to
share it on your social media and by email. Join our team and help the D-Sat mission
achieve its full potential!
 PLAY
Just to sum up... this is how you can help! :)
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We started our quest in 2011 with a team of four people. We began recruiting young and
promising space engineers and put them to work with senior professionals with multidecade experience in the most important European and American space companies. Our
goal was to leverage tradition to develop innovation.
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Six years later, as we moved on with the development of our technology, our family has kept
growing. As of now, the team encompasses over 30 amazing people, as talented and
passionate as they are hardworking and brilliant.
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Our team
Although over the years we have evolved, and to this day we keep expanding our horizons
and setting the bar always a little bit higher, we are proud of our beginnings! This is one of
our first videos:
 PLAY
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D-Sat: Project timeline
Our world is increasingly depending on space-based assets for applications like Earth
observation, weather forecast, and global navigation. Check your smartphone: how many
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apps that use satellite data like maps, GPS, and weather forecast do you already have?
iPhone - Glimpse, Layar, Lyft, Waze, Life360, Strava are just a few of the best apps of the last few years…
all, of course, GPS based
A new generation of space companies is currently designing more advanced infrastructure
to support applications like disaster prevention, high-precision farming, and self-driving
cars.
This technological progress is leaving Earth’s orbit crowded by an increasing population of
man-made objects that no longer serve a useful purpose, like nonfunctioning satellites,
rockets' upper stages, and other objects released during a space mission. This problem is
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getting serious enough to deserve its own Oscar-winning movie (Gravity, 2013), its own
IMAX experience (Space Junk 3D, 2012)... and this gem of an infographic.
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Infographic: Space Debris
Our solution? A new generation of self-decommissioning satellites.
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To understand why D-Sat is an important first, we need to understand three keywords:
direct, controlled, and dedicated.
“Direct” means that at the end of its life, D-Sat will perform a maneuver that will put it into
an immediate re-entry path. Other satellites perform decommissioning maneuvers that set
them into a low-perigee orbit that brings them down in weeks, months or even years.
“Controlled” means that we decide where exactly the satellite will hit the atmosphere, so
we can guarantee that no debris will fall on populated areas. With satellites performing
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indirect re-entry maneuvers the re-entry and landing area is left to chance, and this can be
particularly dangerous with very large satellites.
“Dedicated” means that D-Sat sports an independent propulsive device specialized in
performing decommissioning maneuvers in a safe and cost-effective way even if the main
satellite stops working. The unit is a scaled-down version of our D-Orbit Decommissioning
Device (D3).
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It all started with a dream: to find practical and affordable solutions to the increase of space
junk in Earth’s orbit, and do so in a way that help satellite operators to maximize the use of
their space assets. After months on the drawing board, we came up with D-Orbit
Decommissioning Device (D3), a smart propulsive system that can be scaled to fit
spacecraft of any size. While we have moved on with the creation and testing of the various
parts to make sure it actually works, we soon realized that we needed a full validation in
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space. It became increasingly clear that the best way to do it was to design and
manufacture a satellite specifically for this purpose. While this was the best way to do it, it
certainly wasn’t the simplest. We had to acquire the know-how, the tools, and the
capabilities to design, build, test, and certify for launch an entire spacecraft. Also, we had to
complete the entire project in less than two years. We decided to go for it, and the result of
all our efforts is D-Sat. If you want to read more about the technology behind D-Sat, check
out our blog!
When it comes international shipments, there's a unique process we'd like you to be aware
of. You may incur in additional fees as a result of a specific country's local tax code. These
fees are the responsibility of each backer.
In addition, due to the shape and dimensions of some of the rewards, shipping rates may
seem a bit high for some international locations. We calculated shipping rates beforehand,
and are able to swallow part of them; also, please note that shipping is free for all Early Bird
Specials and for all pledges in the Ambassador Program.
Risks and challenges
A space mission is no joke, and there are lots of things beyond our control that can go
wrong. By making a pledge to D-Orbit you agree to accept the risks defined below, and
possibly other risks not explicitly stated here. To enable delivery of the rewards we may
have to request further information from Backers. We’ll do our best to notify you of any
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problem, delay, or change of programs via Kickstarter.com, its website, and/or any an email
address that you provide. All questions or disputes regarding eligibility for pledge rewards
will be resolved solely by D-Orbit.
1) Launch – D-Sat will go to space on top of a PSLV launcher as a secondary payload. As
with any launch and ride-share, this choice it opens up a few challenges:
a) Shared launches can be delayed for reasons outside our control, postponing our mission
for a period of weeks or months;
b) The orbital destination of the rocket may place D-Orbit in a non-ideal altitude, either
higher or lower than estimated. D-Sat is capable to perform a direct re-entry from an
altitude of 600 km or lower, far higher than the expected 500km altitude. In the extremely
unlikely case D-Sat was put into a higher orbit, the maneuver would result in an indirect reentry;
c) Occasionally, rockets go boom. The PSLV rocket has a very good track record, so we
should be safe from this point of view with a limited amount of wood-touching and fingercrossing. In any case we are insured against launch failure, and we would be able to book
another flight and launch our qualification model, D-Sat’s identical twin that we have build
for testing.
d) Missed signal acquisition: CubeSats are released in a swarm, and they take some time to
reach a separation wide enough to allow signal acquisition. In some extreme cases the
spacecraft could get lost before signal acquisition.
2. The launch and operation of a spacecraft is technically complex and involves many risks
beyond our control. We are not responsible for any failure to perform all or part of the
mission if such failure is caused by events or conditions beyond our control like explosion,
acts of nature, war, civil disturbances, acts of civil or military authorities, legal or regulatory
changes, meteoroid impacts, alien invasion, and so on.
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3. Obtaining Rewards - To obtain a reward a Backer must be verified following the
completion of a successful campaign. All rewards are subject to availability and restrictions
may apply as to when rewards can be provided. In the event we were unable to fulfill any
reward for any reason, we will offer the affected Backer a fair substitution of the reward or
provide a full refund of the Backer’s pledge amount upon request.
4. We are not responsible for lost or stolen rewards, certificates or tickets.
Backers are solely responsible for determining any tax liability arising out of rewards
provided by us. Backers are subject to and must comply with any additional terms,
conditions and restrictions that may apply to specific rewards. Unless otherwise specified
in writing in these terms and conditions or on the Kickstarter.com page, we are not
responsible for providing meals, transportation or accommodation arrangements that may
be associated with claiming a reward.
5. Certain rewards may be subject to minimum requirements regarding age or other factors.
It is the Backer’s sole responsibility to comply with all necessary requirements for the
reward as described.
6. Backer agrees to hold D-Orbit and its affiliates and subsidiaries harmless against any loss
or liabilities arising from Backer’s participation in D-Sat Kickstarter Project.
7. Everything regarding the D-Sat Kickstarter Project, including the website and all rewards,
are provided “as is”.
Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
Questions about this project? Check out the FAQ
Report this project to Kickstarter
Funding period
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May 29 2017 - Jul 3 2017 (35 days)
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