The lab

The Nano-Satellite and Payload Laboratory (UPC NanoSat Lab), located in the Technical Univeristy of Catalonia – UPC BarcelonaTech (Campus Nord), is a cross-departamental initiative belonging to the Barcelona School of Telecommunications Engineering ( ETSETB - TelecomBCN ). With the design and development of nano-satellite missions as its main activity, the lab is focused on the exploration of innovative small spacecraft system concepts and developing and integrating subsystems and payloads for Earth Observation. The lab's industry-grade equipment allows for the testing and qualifying of nano-satellite systems in space conditions (up to 6U). In addition, two ad-hoc ground stations have been installed to operate the launched missions.

It is in this unique multi-disciplinary environment, that the NanoSat Lab teaches telecommunication and electronics engineering students implementing the so-called CDIO initiative ( Conceive, Design, Implement and Operate).

The lab activities cover, among others, the design and manufacturing of satellite systems including: antennas, communication systems, implementation of communication protocols, solar energy harvesting and management, high-efficiency power supplies, software engineering and programming, embedded computers and microcontrollers, satellite payloads, design methods for reliable and testable systems, and the fundamentals of mission analysis.