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Services

Our services and facilities

Everything you need to get gravity out of your research!

Conception

Tell us about your idea and research goals by contacting us. We are open for everything, from a wild idea to a ready-to-fly technology. ICE Cubes by Space Applications Services is a one-stop shop for all kind of sectors and institutions from different backgrounds and experience levels.

Protip

Our engineering teams are excellent in sketching out setup concepts for your idea. We recommend iterating your idea early on.

Feasibility

Together we will evaluate the feasibility of your idea and help you define the requirements for a successful setup and possible launch date. You will receive the necessary guidance to design your setup inside an ICE Cubes unit.

Protip

Think about how you will fund your idea. We also support the preparation of funding proposals so that you won’t miss the chance to launch your idea to space.

Development

You can develop your own setup in one of the standard form factors using our standard interfaces, safety requirements and development guidelines.

We will then collect the information necessary to obtain the safety and flight readiness certification. Finally, our standard service will provide you with limited assistance during Experiment Cube development. We can, however, offer you additional assistance in design, development and/or verification.

For more information, consult our technical documents here.

Protip

We have a range of re-usable equipment and assets on offer. This can save you time if it can be considered a re-flight of existing hardware.

Our Cubes

ICE Cubes modules can take several sizes, typically starting from 1U (10 x 10 x 10cm), the classical cubesat form factor. In fact ICE Cubes can take very different sizes and do not even need to be cubes, but can be a cylinder or another custom form as long as the interface matches.

1 – Small [ 12 x 12 x 12 cm ]
2 – Medium [ 15 x 28 x 15 cm ]
3 – Tall [ 15 x 40 x 20 cm ]
4 – Big [ 28 x 28 x 28 cm ]
5 – Custom size and shape

Protip

Thanks to miniaturisation of technologies, in-situ monitoring such as a microscope can be included in your ICE Cubes module, even in a 1U size.

Integrated Tests

The ground model of the ICE Cubes facility is used in the Space Applications Services‘ cleanroom to perform integrated tests for verification of all interfaces and operational procedures.

Protip

Think about how you want to cover the operations and from where you will want to send commands to space and see data from your cube. During the integrated tests, you can at the same time connect and test your user centre.

Launcher Contact

We will arrange all the reviews of your unit or Experiment Cube to have it ready to launch. As our customer, you only have to be in contact with us, we will do the rest for you. We book your flight and take care of the launch administration.

Protip

Lab capabilities at the launch site can be booked for you to prepare your samples as close to the launch as possible, if that would be required.

Launch & In-Flight

The Experiment Cubes will be launched in soft stowed configuration, contained inside foam containers. If your samples need specific thermal conditioning, this can be foreseen during launch, on-board and during return. Upon arrival at the International Space Station, your Experiment Cube will be installed into the ICE Cubes Facility by the crew on-board. When it is time to start operations of your experiment, the ICE Cubes Mission Control Centre will activate your Experiment Cube and pass on control to you so you can run your research or test and directly monitor and control your experiment.

Protip

At Space Applications Services, we developed our own mission control software called YAMCS. You can also make use of it to set up displays and your home control centre as you like.

Mission Completion

Once the mission is completed, you may choose to either have the Experiment Cube returned to you or to dispose it. In either case, you will receive all resulting flight data for analysis.

Protip

We think it is important the whole world knows about your idea, so we also help in the communication aspects of your space project.

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