Case Study: Budapest University of Technology and Economics maps electrosmog from orbit with MathWorks MATLAB and Simulink

PocketQube Satellite Scans the Atmosphere for Electrosmog Pollution

The Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) team undertook the challenge of designing, building, and launching the world's first functional PocketQube satellite. They needed to ensure the tiny SMOG-P satellite could withstand the intense G-forces of launch and the extreme temperature fluctuations of space to successfully measure electromagnetic pollution. The team employed MathWorks products, including MATLAB and Simulink, to model and simulate these harsh conditions.

Utilizing MathWorks' Model-Based Design tools, the students created a detailed thermal network model in Simulink to predict component temperatures across hundreds of orbits. They also ran MATLAB scripts to simulate the satellite's deployment mechanics. This approach enabled the BME team to launch SMOG-P successfully on a low budget, making it the first operational satellite of its class. The MathWorks-powered solution resulted in a successful mission that collected enough data to create a global electrosmog map and published findings in a scientific journal.

Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Viktor Józsa

Associate Professor