To ensure we are operational for the upcoming planetary transit in the summer of 2017, PicSat’s launch window must be earlier. The orbit restraint at this time is a sun-synchronous orbit (polar 98 ° inclination) at an altitude of less than 620km.

24h PicSat ground track

Scientific measurements take place between the ‘star visible’ (yellow square) and the ‘star lost’ (green circle)

 

These orbital parameters provide us 1 hour of β Pic observations for each orbit, for a total time of 96 min, allowing continuous monitoring of the star. The transit, whose duration is of the order of a few hours, will not escape our instrument.