The project was aimed to enhance the know-how of young scientists and engineers about communication satellite engineering. The philosophy was to design a satellite such as it would fly, however, while implementing the design, use commercial components to keep the cost low since the satellite will only be a functional lab model.

Prototype Paksat-1R is a communication satellite, which has three C-band Transponders as the communication payload. All the subsystems have been designed and developed indigenously. Integration and testing have also been performed. The project was completed in three years time.

The satellite bus comprised the following subsystems:

.

(i)

Computer (based on Intel 80188EB microprocessor)

.

(ii)

Power subsystem with the following main modules:

a.b.c.d.

Power DistributionPower ControlBattery Charging and DischargingBAPTA

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(iii)

Telemetry subsystem

a.b.

Microcontroller basedFPGA based

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(iv)

Telecommand subsystem

a.b.

Microcontroller basedFPGA based

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(v)

Attitude and Orbit Determination and Control subsystem

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(vi)

S-band RF communication subsystem (for telemetry and telecommand)

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(vii)

Thermal Control subsystem

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(viii)

Satellite Structure

.

(ix)

Mechanisms for:

a.b.

Antenna DeploymentSolar Array Deployment

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Pictures below show some of the subsystems and the complete satellite: