Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Comparative Analysis Of Command Protocols For Cubesat Data Handling Systems, Roman Dowling

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Researchers at the University of Arkansas developed ARKSAT-1, a cubic satellite with the purpose of employing an LED with a tracking system to perform spectroscopic measurements of the atmosphere.

The control board of the satellite contained several microcontrollers which worked in concert to collect and manage data. Discussed in this report are the software programs developed for the microcontrollers, dual Arduino MKRZeros, utilized as data repositories and for control of satellite peripherals. The programs discussed in this project include an original existing command-response protocol and an improved batch-command protocol, each with its accompanying data handling and storage system. These programs …

A Systematic Study Into The Design And Utilization Of Burn Wire As A Means Of Tensioning And Releasing Spacecraft Mechanisms Through Applied Joule Heating, Chandler Dye

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The joule heating characteristics of Nichrome burn wires, often used as a thermal cutting device in mechanisms designed to fasten and release CubeSat deployables, are examined in the following thesis. Wires ranging from 0.125 inches to 2 inches long, and diameters of 30 Ga and 40 Ga, are investigated through analytical calculations and thermal simulations based on heat transfer due to joule heating, and through physical circuitry-based experiments. The temperature data is used to generate heating curves to predict the time it takes for Nichrome wires to fail under varying testing parameters. This research aims to catalog a series of …

Hobby Grade Lithium-Ion Batteries For Spacecraft Applications: Establishing An Automated Electrical Characteristics Testing Procedure For Flight Acceptance Of Non-Space-Grade Small Secondary Batteries, Braidon Hughes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Li-ion batteries are widely used due to the large amount of rechargeable energy they pack into a small, light package. This higher energy density makes Li-ion batteries ideal for small satellite applications, specifically CubeSats. CubeSats have grown in popularity in higher level education due to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s implementation of the Cube Satellite Launch Initiative, making it easier and cheaper to conduct small, low orbit missions. Because these CubeSats are occupying the same space as a crewed spacecraft, it is imperative that they are safe. There are numerous reports of Li-ion batteries creating fires that result in …

Fluid Phase Separation Via Nanochannel Array, John Lee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) generate ideas and techniques for creating new devices at the micro/nano scale. This dissertation study designed a gas generator system utilizing nanochannels for phase separation that is useful for micro-pneumatic actuators, micro-valves, and micro-pumps. The new gas generator has the potential to be an integral part of a propulsion system for small-scale satellites. Nano/picosatellites have limited orientation capability partly due to the current limitations of microthruster devices. Development of a self-contained micro propulsion system enables dynamic orbital maneuvering of pico- and nano-class satellites.

Additionally, the new gas generator utilizes a high efficiency, green …

Active Permanent Magnet Attitude Control For Cubesats Using Mu-Metal Shielding, Maxwell Martin

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cube-Satellites (CubeSats) are nanosatellites composed of cube shaped units, each nominally 10cm to a side and around 1kg in mass. Due to their inherent size and weight limitations, it is often impractical to use conventional attitude, or rotational, control methods such as thrusters on these small satellites. Several methods, including magnetorquer rods and small reaction wheels, are often used instead of traditional methods to work around the size and weight limitations. As a new alternative to these methods, a permanent magnet mounted on a rotatable shaft could be used to achieve attitude control. In much the same way that a …