Who built the LEOPARD nanosatellite?
Students from 17 countries gathered to build the LEOPARD nanosatellite. Kyushu Institute of Technology and Nanyang Technological University led this joint development effort.
Questions about Leopard
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did the LEOPARD satellite launch into space?
The LEOPARD satellite launched on the 26th of October 2025 aboard an H3 Launch Vehicle. It traveled to the International Space Station inside the HTV-X1 cargo spacecraft before deployment from the Kibō module.
What technology does the LEOPARD satellite use for solar panel deployment?
Engineers chose shape-memory alloy heating systems to deploy solar panels instead of traditional springs. This decision created a much thinner deployment mechanism suitable for the compact 3U design.
How does the Single-Event Latch-up payload on LEOPARD function?
Nanyang Technological University developed the Single-Event Latch-up mission payload to monitor ionizing space radiation. The payload contains two microcontrollers with identical functions but different chip types to compare reactions when exposed to single-event effects in space.
Why does the LEOPARD satellite photograph Earth's atmosphere below the horizon?
The Multispectral camera mission photographs Earth's atmosphere when the Sun sits below the horizon to observe Rayleigh scattering and aerosol scattering through this unique lighting condition. These images provide data on atmospheric composition that is difficult to capture from ground stations.