ALPHA
ALPHA is an Italian Space mission involving a 1U CubeSat, a satellite as big as a box with a 10 cm edge, designed and developed to be launched on-board VEGA-C maiden flight. Main goals are to perform scientific experiments to deepen the knowledge of our Solar System, and to demonstrate innovative technologies to enhance the quality of life on Earth. ALPHA will bring in orbit the second generation of ARTICA developed by Spacemind that will be also responsible for bus procurement based on SM products, AIT and test.
The mission will take place in a Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), at approximately 15 times the altitude of the
International Space Station (ISS). At this altitude, 6.000 km circa, ALPHA will be in an extremely harsh radiative environment,
called the inner Van Allen belt, where the Earth’s magnetic field traps harmful solar wind and cosmic rays radiations. Under these conditions, ALPHA will perform scientific experiments to better understand magnetosphere related phenomena, such
as Northern lights and southern aurora, and
the demonstration of innovative technologies designed and developed to mitigate the effects of
radiations.