The communications module developed by the SZESAT College for Advanced Studies at Széchenyi István University orbited the Earth for one and a half years aboard the MRC-100 satellite, transmitting messages. With the recent successful conclusion of the mission, students from Győr have moved closer to their goal of launching their own satellite into space.

The communications module, designed by the SZESAT Interdisciplinary College at Széchenyi István University, was placed aboard the MRC-100 satellite of Budapest University of Technology and Economics as part of a collaboration between higher education institutions. The satellite was launched into orbit in June 2023 and, after operating for a year and a half, re-entered the Earth's atmosphere this January, where it disintegrated. During its 561 days of operation, students were able to receive signals from the satellite using an antenna mounted on a tower at the Győr campus. The module transmitted brief text messages about the University, which were received by amateur radio operators around the world.

Small but mighty: the module developed by the interdisciplinary college at Széchenyi István University measures only 30 x 30 millimetres, yet it withstood the harsh conditions of space (Photo: Márton Horváth)

The experiment confirmed that members of SZESAT are ready to build a device capable of operating in space and meeting the highest certification standards, developed by NASA and adopted by the European Space Agency. The TRL 9 level (ISO 16290:2013 standard) signifies that the "system has been flight-proven through successful mission operations." During its operation, the module orbited the Earth nearly 9,000 times at approximately 27,500 km/h, covering around 370 million kilometres aboard the satellite. The 30 x 30 millimetre, 2.1-gram device endured the harsh environment of space, thanks to laboratory testing conducted before launch.

"We have achieved our goal and met the TRL 9 expectations. We are especially proud of our team, as our very first module successfully completed its mission. It is no secret that a tremendous amount of work, testing, and excitement has brought us to this point. Our university has now reached space, which gives us even greater motivation and enthusiasm to realise our dreams. Our success is based on the collaboration of students from various fields, including engineering, law, and economics. Our next project—our own satellite—is already in development, and we welcome any university student who wishes to join our mission to conquer space," said Leon Maszlov, Junior Director of the SZESAT College for Advanced Studies and a law student at the University, regarding the future plans of the team.

"The aim of SZESAT is to engage and inspire high school and university students interested in space. The college supports students in their scientific research and helps them participate successfully in the Scientific Student’s Associations Conference. Few universities provide young people with the opportunity to develop space technology, but Széchenyi István University is among those select few," added Dr Péter Vári, Programme Director of the College and Associate Professor at the University.

Dr Péter Vári, Programme Director of the College and Associate Professor at Széchenyi István University (Photo: András Adorján)

The members of Széchenyi István University's satellite development team are: Marcell Mike (Győr), Gábor Marton (Ikrény), Ágoston Szűcs (Kecskemét), Máté Péter Tóth (Dunaharaszti), László Juhász (Tatabánya), Szilárd Pónya (Szombathely), Leon Maszlov (Pinkamindszent), Kristóf Varga (Koroncó), Zoltán Nagy (Komárom, Slovakia), and Martin Magda (Környe), András János Simon (Hagyárosbörönd).

The team from the SZESAT Interdisciplinary College at Széchenyi István University (Photo: András Adorján)