SAGE is a nanosatellite project investigating artificial gravity generation in the ranges of milli- and microgravity as found on small moons and asteroids. It is developed with an intend to pose as an accessible hands-on educational project while also meeting the growing industry need of long-lasting low gravity testing platform. The three-unit CubeSat the project proposes utilizing a satellite platform as a centrifuge to acquire the desired gravity range in a first-of-its-kind implementation. Under these gravity conditions, the biological payload investigates the response of eukaryotic cells to cytotoxic and cytostatic drugs. As a secondary payload an UHF to S band transponder is developed that benefits the amateur radio community and applications in radio technology education.
The Swiss Artificial Gravity Experiment SAGE, an interdisciplinary team of students is highly supported by the Center for Project-Based Learning (PBL) as D-ITET flagship project and got selected as one of six teams to enter a pilot scheme by the European Space Agency (ESA).