Digital Commons Network^™

Capstone: A Summary Of Flight Operations To Date In The Cislunar Environment, Thomas Gardner, Brad Cheetham, Jeff Parker, Alec Forsman, Ethan Kayser, Michael Thompson, Connor Ott, Lauren Demoudt, Matt Bolliger, Arlen Kam, Keith Thompson, Tristan Latchu, Rebecca Rogers, Brennan Bryant, Tomas Svitek

Small Satellite Conference

The cislunar environment is about to get much busier and with this increase in traffic comes an increase in the demand for limited resources such as Earth based tracking of and communications with assets operating in and around the Moon. With the number of NASA, commercial, and international missions to the Moon growing rapidly, the need to make these future endeavors as efficient as possible is a challenge that is being solved now. Advanced Space is aiming to mitigate these resource limitations by enabling spacecraft in the cislunar environment to navigate autonomously and reduce the need for oversubscribed ground assets …

Low-Thrust Reconfiguration Strategy For Flexible Satellite Constellations, Federica Paganelli Azza, Pietro De Marchi, Matteo Stoisa, Paolo Gennaro Madonia

Small Satellite Conference

Flexible and responsive space systems are needed to satisfy changing mission requirements and react to unforeseen challenges. Reconfigurable constellations are a promising approach to overcome limitations of the current design philosophy, offering operators the ability to actively adapt the constellation configuration to future needs, promptly modifying their pattern to focus the available resources towards dynamic objectives. This work introduces a low-thrust reconfiguration strategy to optimize these constellations through a multiobjective Genetic Algorithm able to trade-off between observation performance over a desired target area and maneuvering cost to reach the new pattern. The presented approach is validated in a LEO scenario, …

Gei-Sat Constellation For Greenhouse Gases Detection And Quantification, Marcos Ubierna, Manuel Montesino, Eider Ocerin, Roberto Fabrizi, Tania Meixus Fernandez

Small Satellite Conference

GEI-SAT constellation will embark SATLANTIS’ solution for methane emissions detection and quantification. GEI-SAT pursues hot spot mapping of low emission levels of methane with a low-mass and low-cost very high-resolution multispectral SWIR camera onboard CubeSats & Microsats. The overall mission consists of: GEI-SAT Precursor, a 16U CubeSat (17.4 kg, ~150 kg/h detection threshold, 1.65 m resolution @VNIR and 13 m resolution @SWIR, up to 1700 nm) to be launched in Q1 2023; GEI-SAT Plus, a Microsat (92 kg, ~100 kg/h detection threshold, 0.8 m resolution @VNIR and ~7 m resolution @SWIR, up to 1700 nm) to be launched in Q4 …

On Trusting Third-Party Satellite Data, Sean Crosby, Kurt Brenning

Small Satellite Conference

Increased access to space has opened the door to many satellite vendors. These vendors are collecting data using a variety of sensors, including electro-optical, radio frequency, and synthetic aperture radar. Customers want true-sourced, authentic data. However, as with any lower barrier to entry, the risk of counterfeit, tampered, or low-quality products increases. In this work, we describe the key requirements for trusting imagery and present a hardware design and a system of controls that meet those requirements of trust for Earth imaging satellites. Our trusted hardware provides assurance of capture time, location, and preserves the content and origin by capturing …

Developing Lunar Flashlight And Near-Earth Asteroid Scout Flight Software Concurrently Using Open-Source F Prime Flight Software Framework, Aadil Rizvi, Kevin F. Ortega, Yutau He

Small Satellite Conference

NASA’s Lunar Flashlight (LF) and Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout CubeSat missions are planned to launch in 2022. Lunar Flashlight is a low-cost secondary payload concept that will map the lunar South Pole for volatiles and demonstrate several technological firsts, including the first planetary CubeSat mission to use green propulsion, and the first mission to use lasers to look for water ice. NEA Scout is a low-cost concept that will map an asteroid and demonstrate several technological firsts, including being the first CubeSat to reach an asteroid.

Flight software for both CubeSat missions is based on the open-source F Prime Flight …

Asteria In-Orbit Testing On Opssat: An On-Board Autonomous Orbit Control Solution Including Collision Risks Avoidance, Francois Toussaint, Jerome Thomassin, Sophie Laurens

Small Satellite Conference

For several years, CNES has been working on Flight Dynamics algorithms to ensure high level of autonomy for next generation of space missions. One example of these autonomous techniques is the Autonomous Orbital Control, which consists of delegating to onboard satellite system the identification, planning and realization of orbital corrections to stay in the mission reference orbit. ASTERIA, an application of on-board autonomy combining station keeping and collision risk management for the low earth orbit satellites, enables both in-track and cross-track control for different LEO missions. The on-board collision risk management process is fully integrated into the autonomous station keeping …

Task Oriented Programming For The Rc64 Manycore Dsp, Ran Ginosar, Peleg Aviely

Small Satellite Conference

RC64 is a rad-hard manycore DSP combining 64 VLIW/SIMD DSP cores, lock-free shared memory, a hardware scheduler and a task-based programming model. The hardware scheduler enables fast scheduling and allocation of fine grain tasks to all cores. Parallel programming is based on Tasks.

Initial Assessment Of A Generative Adversarial Approach To Rover Path Planning Supported By Space-Based Assets, Guglielmo Daddi, Nicolaus Notaristefano, Fabrizio Stesina, Sabrina Corpino

Small Satellite Conference

No abstract provided.

A Custom Rideshare Payload Adapter For Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Microsatellites Launched In Tandem, Kevin Guan, Eric Van Velzen

Small Satellite Conference

The steep rise in the effects of climate change has opened new opportunities in space-based monitoring of greenhouse gases (GHG). The Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) is currently developing GHGSat-C3/C4/C5, a group of three Earth observation microsatellites to increase the GHGSat constellation’s emissions monitoring capabilities. Each microsatellite is deployed into orbit with the XPOD Delta, a spacecraft dispenser developed at SFL. This paper outlines the design of an XPOD Adapter for Launch in Tandem (XALT) to mount three GHGSat satellites on a SpaceX Rideshare launch. The driving requirements are presented along with XALT’s key design features, including provisions for ground support …

On-Orbit Characterization Of A Microelectromechanical Systems (Mems) Deformable Mirror (Dm) On The Deformable Mirror Demonstration Mission (Demi) Cubesat, Sophia Vlahakis

Small Satellite Conference

The Deformable Mirror Demonstration Mission (DeMi) CubeSat operated from July 2020 to March 2022 and demonstrated the successful operation of a Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Deformable Mirror (DM) on orbit for the first time. The payload design is an adaptive optics system with a 140-actuator MEMS DM from the Boston Micromachines Corporation (BMC) and a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWFS). DMs can correct wavefront errors from a variety of sources to improve image quality. MEMS DMs are particularly well suited for space systems because they are compact low power devices and have a high density of actuators with a large stroke to …

Attitude Determination With Self-Inspection Cameras Repurposed As Earth Horizon Sensors, Atilla Saadat

Small Satellite Conference

Attitude determination for small satellites is a vital aspect of spacecraft operations. Earth Horizon Sensor(s) (EHS) are one of many sensors used in on-orbit attitude estimation. A conventional EHS captures infrared images of the Earth’s horizon and estimates the nadir vector in the spacecraft body frame, using the Earth’s curvature and prior knowledge of the spacecraft’s orbit. However, the design and test of new sensors increase mission cost and development time, while some spacecraft may not be able to accommodate such dedicated sensors. Therefore, it is beneficial if existing onboard optical sensors could be repurposed as effective EHS. The Space …

Empirical Methods For Reaction Wheel Micro-Vibration Verification In A Production Environment, Sobia Nadeem

Small Satellite Conference

There is great interest in high precision attitude control of satellites, in particular for missions that operate payloads with stringent pointing requirements. Reaction Wheels (RW) are an integral part of a satellite's Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS). However, a drawback of using RWs is that due to imperfections such as rotor imbalance and bearing defects, RWs are a source of micro-vibration. These phenomena can lead to internal disturbances which in turn may lead to degraded mission performance.

Quantifying the micro-vibration generated by RWs is a critical and time intensive process. A two-step process to verify and characterize RW micro-vibration …

On-Board Images To Characterize A Cubesat's Adcs, Boris Segret, Sam Bammens, Sergio Bras, Dominik Marszk, Vasundhara Shiradhonkar, Vladimir Zelenevskiy, David Evans

Small Satellite Conference

ADCS for nanosatellites in the New Space sector are frequently offered as Commercial-Off-The-Shelves (COTS) systems. However, when the COTS datasheet and the actual performance in flight differ dramatically, there are few means to assess the discrepancies. Here, we update on the current operations with a flying nanosatellite to assess the attitude stability during inertial pointing mode, based on the analysis of on-board images of the sky. The satellite is OPS-SAT, a 3-unit CubeSat owned and operated by ESA. The imager is directed to the -Z longitudinal axis and the star tracker and a Sun sensor are oriented in the transversal …

Development And Deployment Of Remotely Operable Optical Communication Terminals, Rudd C. Johnson, Josef M. Wicker, Andrew Lin, Erik C. Dillingham, Paul Le, Jairo Esquivel, John C. Mergo, Darren Rowen

Small Satellite Conference

Since the launch of the Optical Communication and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) Mission in November 2017, The Aerospace Corporation has relied upon a manually operated optical terminal in El Segundo, CA to support optical communications downlinks. Scaling our constellation of laser communication capable small satellites and resulting increase in data volume has necessitated multiple geographically dispersed optical ground stations. In 2021, The Aerospace Corporation developed and deployed two remotely operable optical terminals in Maui, Hawaii and Albuquerque, New Mexico, demonstrating up to 200 Mbps downlink communication rates with Forward Error Correction. The station is comprised primarily of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components …

An Automated Approach To Maneuver Campaign Management For Skysats, Vishnuu Mallik, Joel Mueting, Adam Reuter, Alex Paul, Lisa Mcgill, Bhavi Jagatia, Vishwa Shah

Small Satellite Conference

Planet Labs PBC currently operates a fleet of 21 high-resolution imaging, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites called SkySats comprised of both a sun-synchronous constellation and a lower inclination constellation. Due to their low altitude, operational constraints, and mission-driven requirements on image resolution and coverage, there is a need to perform routine stationkeeping and occasional constellation reconfiguration maneuver campaigns for these satellites. The Mission Systems team at Planet is currently implementing an automated and robust maneuver management system that autonomously plans and executes all SkySat maneuvers in order to reduce operator workload and improve overall constellation management efficiency. This paper describes …

Cubesat Reusable Interface Software Platform (Crisp): A Lightweight Message-Bus-Based Flight Software Architecture For Rapid Payload Integration, Rory H. Scobie, Kevin D. Kaufeld, Bradley J. Hoose, Keith S. Morgan, Kimberly K. Katko, Markus P. Hehlen, John M. Michel

Small Satellite Conference

The Agile Space portfolio of projects at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) develops low-cost, rapidly-deployable space payloads and systems. To increase the agility of future missions, we are developing CRISP: the CubeSat Reusable Interface Software Platform. CRISP provides a lightweight and reusable flight software framework for rapid integration of custom payloads with commercial microsatellite platforms. CRISP cuts development time and costs by reducing non-recurring engineering (NRE); thereby accelerating mission agility. To achieve these goals, CRISP provides a core set of payload/data management functions and abstracts the interface between the bus avionics and the payload(s). CRISP currently consists of the following …

Space-Operating Linux: An Operating System For High Performance Ai Computation On Commercial-Grade Equipment In Low Earth Orbit, Eric Miller

Small Satellite Conference

With recent exponential advances in AI—particularly with respect to the tremendous power and efficiency accessible for data processing—there is now a countless array of applications for aerospace missions and space exploration, even in experimental CubeSats. However, with the large volume of data acquisition required for satellite missions, downlinking presents an increasingly expensive bottleneck that drastically reduces mission efficiency. At the University of Georgia Small Satellite Research Laboratory, the Multi-view Onboard Computational Imager (MOCI) employs an NVIDIA Jetson TX2i GPU module to process data in situ and downlink only final products. As is the case for many commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices …

Cold Atom Space Payload Atmospheric Drag Mission (Caspa-Adm), Jorge Ferreras, Joe Spencer, Mike Salter, Tristan Valenzuela, Isabelle Riou, Marton Kiss-Toth, Ryan Renshaw, Michael Trigatzis, Lucy Moore, Steven Maddox, Michael Holynski, Sanaz Roshanmanesh, Johnathan Winch, Andrew Lamb, Farzad Hayati, Kai Bongs

Small Satellite Conference

To gain better understanding of the upper atmospheric dynamics requires more accurate determination of the mass density distribution in the thermosphere. Improved measurements of drag, by means of satellite accelerometery, can be used to more precisely determine this distribution. In addition, atmospheric drag in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is particularly of interest for climate modelling, weather forecasting and satellite orbit prediction. RAL Space, Teledyne-e2v and the University of Birmingham are developing a Cold Atom Space Payload Atmospheric Drag Mission (CASPA-ADM). The aim of the project, supported by the UK Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation (CEOI), is to develop a technology …

Avionics System And Attitude Algorithms For A Deorbit Device Based On An Electrodynamic Tether, Sergio Garcia-Gonzalez, Lorenzo Tarabini Castellani, Sofia Orte, Asier Ortega, Gonzalo Sanchez-Arriaga, Enrico C. Lorenzini, Martin Tajmar, Katja Wätzig

Small Satellite Conference

The main goal of the Electrodynamic Tether technology for PAssive Consumable-less deorbit Kit (E.T.PACK) project is to develop a deorbit device based on an electrodynamic tether with TRL 4 by 2022. In September 2022, its continuation, i.e. the E.T.PACK-F project, will carry on with the activities of E.T.PACK to prepare a flight model with TRL 8 that will be tested in an in-orbit demonstration mission in 2025. This work (i) describes the attitude determination and control strategy of the mission, which is used as a means of explaining its different phases and the dynamics of each one of them, (ii) …

Nachos, A Cubesat-Based High-Resolution Uv-Visible Hyperspectral Imager For Remote Sensing Of Trace Gases: System Overview, Science Objectives, And Preliminary Results, Steven P. Love, Kirk W. Post, Logan A. Ott, Magdalena E. Dale, Claira L. Safi, Kerry G. Boyd, Hannah D. Mohr, Christian Ward, Michael Caffrey, James P. Theiler, Bernard R. Foy, Markus Hehlen, Charles Glen Peterson, Ryan Hemphill, James A. Wren, Arthur A. Guthrie, Nicholas A. Dallmann, Paul S. Stein, Aaron G. Meyer, Manvendra K. Dubey

Small Satellite Conference

The Nano-satellite Atmospheric Chemistry Hyperspectral Observation System (NACHOS) is a high-throughput (f/2.9), high spectral resolution (1.3 nm optical, 0.57 nm sampling) hyperspectral imager covering the 300-500 nm spectral region with 350 spectral bands. The combined 1.5U instrument payload and 1.5U spacecraft bus comprise a 3U CubeSat. Spectroscopically similar to NASA’s Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), which provides wide-field coverage at ~20 km spatial resolution, NACHOS offers complementary targeted measurements at far higher spatial resolution of ~0.4 km/pixel from 500 km altitude over its 15 ̊ across-track field of view. NACHOS incorporates highly streamlined onboard gas-retrieval algorithms, alleviating the need to routinely …

Scouting For Climate Variable With Small Satellites, Andy Palfreyman, Alex De Silva Curial, Jonathan Rawlinson, Martin Unwin, Martin Sweeting, Serena Donati, Nazzareno Pierdicca, Estel Cardellach, Leila Guerriero, Giuseppe Foti, Emanuele Santi, Paul Blunt, Kimmo Rautiainen, Jean-Pascal Lejault, Maria Paola Clarizia, Massimiliano Pastena

Small Satellite Conference

HydroGNSS is a small satellite mission under the new ESA Scout programme tapping into NewSpace, within ESA’s FutureEO programme. The mission will use an innovative GNSS-Reflectometry instrument to collect parameters related to the Essential Climate Variables (ECVs): soil moisture, inundation, freeze/thaw, biomass, ocean wind speed and sea ice extent. GNSS-Reflectometry is a type of bistatic radar utilizing abundant GNSS signals as signals of opportunity, empowering small satellites to provide measurement quality associated with larger satellites.

The HydroGNSS instrument introduces novel measurements compared to its predecessors on UKSA TechDemoSat-1 and NASA CYGNSS missions. These include: the acquisition of Galileo(E1) reflections, and …

Cubespec, A Mission Overview, Bart Vandenbussche, Gert Raskin, Pierre Royer, Dominic Bowman, Hugues Sana, Andrew Tkachenko, Jan Goris, Job Schuermans, Dirk Vandepitte, Jeroen De Maeyer, Filip Heylen, Wim De Munter, Maarten Kempenaers, Jelle Lanting, Bram Vandoren, Tjorven Delabie, Vincent Moreau, Etienne Renotte, Peter Davidsen, Karl Kaas, Roger Walker, Camille Pirat

Small Satellite Conference

CubeSpec is an in-orbit demonstration CubeSat mission in the ESA technology programme, developed and funded in Belgium. The goal of the mission is to demonstrate high-spectral-resolution astronomical spectroscopy from a 6-unit CubeSat. The prime science demonstration case for the in-orbit demonstration mission is to unravel the interior of massive stars using asteroseismology by high-cadance monitoring of the variations in spectral line profiles during a few months. The technological challenges are numerous. The 10x20cm aperture telescope and echelle spectrometer have been designed to fit in a 10x10x20cm volume.

Under low-Earth orbit thermal variations, maintaining the fast telescope focus and spectrometer alignment …

Responsive Operations For Key Services (Roks): A Modular, Low Swap Quantum Communications Payload, Craig D. Colquhoun, Hazel Jeffrey, Steve Greenland, Sonali Mohapatra, Colin Aitken, Mikulas Cebecauer, Charlotte Crawshaw, Kenny Jeffrey, Toby Jeffreys, Philippos Karagiannakis, Ahren Mctaggart, Caitlin Stark, Jack Wood, Siddarth K. Joshi, Jaya Sagar, Elliott Hastings, Peide Zhang, Milan Stefko, David Lowndes, John G. Rarity, Jasminder S. Sidhu, Thomas Brougham, Duncan Mcarthur, Robert G. Pousa, Daniel K. L. Oi, Matthew Warden, Eilidh Johnston, John Leck

Small Satellite Conference

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a theoretically proven future-proof secure encryption method that inherits its security from fundamental physical principles. With a proof-of-concept QKD payload having flown on the Micius satellite since 2016, efforts have intensified globally. Craft Prospect, working with a number of UK organisations, has been focused on miniaturising the technologies that enable QKD so that they may be used in smaller platforms including nanosatellites. The significant reduction of size, and therefore the cost of launching quantum communication technologies either on a dedicated platform or hosted as part of a larger optical communications will improve potential access to …

Lunah-Map: Revealing Lunar Water With A New Radiation Sensor Array, Craig Hardgrove, Lena Heffern, Joe Dubois, Ernest Cisneros, James Bell, Richard Starr, Thomas Prettyman, Igor Lazbin, Bob Roebuck, Nathaniel Struebel, Ethan Clark, Derek Nelson, Jeremy Bauman, Bobby Williams, Erik Johnson, James Christian, Graham Stoddard, Michael Tsay, Joshua Model, Pete Hruby, Alessandra Babuscia, Steve Stem, Devon Sanders, Elliot Hegel, Mitchell Wiens, Sean Parlapiano, Patrick Hailey, Tyler O'Brien, Katherine Mesick, Dan Coupland

Small Satellite Conference

A new type of neutron and gamma-ray spectrometer called the Miniature Neutron Spectrometer (Mini-NS) has been developed, assembled, qualified and delivered as part of the Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper (LunaH-Map) cubesat mission. The LunaH-Map spacecraft is currently manifested as a secondary payload on the Space Launch System (SLS) Artemis-1 rocket. LunaH-Map will deploy from Artemis-1 and enter a low altitude perilune elliptical orbit around the Moon. The Mini-NS will measure the lunar epithermal neutron albedo, and measurements around perilune will be used to produce maps of hydrogen enrichments and depletions across the lunar South Pole region including both within and …

Double Asteroid Redirection Test (Dart): Earth Strikes Back, Elena Adams

Small Satellite Conference

No abstract provided.

Design, Fabrication, And Tuning Techniques Of Quadrifilar Helix Antennas For Small Satellites, Kelby Davis, Reyhan Baktur

Small Satellite Conference

Quadrifilar helix antennas are also called fractional turn helix is very appealing to spacecraft applications. A quadrifilar antenna offers circular polarization in its radiating hemisphere and its radiation pattern is not severely affected by a ground plane. These properties are important for closing the communication link and make the antenna relatively independent of the CubeSat frame and mounting location, which facilitates modular design of the antenna.

Although it has similar shape as a helical antenna, a quadrifilar helix antenna is fundamentally different. While there exists design theory and calculators for this type of antennas, detailed notes on design, fabrication, and …

Delta-Vs And Design Reference Mission Scenarios For Mars Missions, Ryan C. Woolley, Nathan J. Barba

Small Satellite Conference

Before setting out on any long journey, it is important to first have an idea about how to get there, how long it might take, and how much it will cost. Primarily, the answers depend upon where you are starting and where you wish to go. In the formulative stages of any mission to Mars, having quick estimates of answers to these basic questions will aid in the efficient exploration of the trade space. In this paper, we present a “mileage chart” of sorts illustrating the range of ΔV’s and times-of-flight (TOF) between various starting and stopping points between Earth …

Nanosatellite Launch Forecasts - Track Record And Latest Prediction, Erik Kulu

Small Satellite Conference

After almost 300 CubeSats were sent to space in 2017, the following 3 years saw a continued decline. While 2021 set a new record of about 326 nanosatellites launched, most published forecasts and expectations from the last 10 years about the growth about CubeSats have not come to fruition. This paper attempts to answer the question why and make a new prediction based on scheduled missions and historic trends.

First part of the paper presents the latest nanosatellite and CubeSat launch statistics. Out of over 3400 entries in the database, 2068 nanosatellites or 1893 CubeSats have been launched as of …

Enabling Big Science In A Small Satellite - The Global L-Band Observatory For Water Cycle Studies (Glows) Mission, Mark Bailey, David Long, Rajat Bindlish, Jeffrey Piepmeier, Giovanni De Amici

Small Satellite Conference

The SMOS and SMAP radiometers have demonstrated the ability to monitor soil moisture and sea surface salinity. It is important to maintain data continuity for these science measurements. The proposed instrument concept (Global L-band active/passive Observatory for Water cycle Studies - GLOWS) will enable low-cost L-band data continuity (that includes both L-band radar and radiometer measurements). The objective of this project is to develop key instrument technology to enable L-band observations using an Earth Venture class satellite. Specifically, a new deployable meta-lens antenna is being developed that will enable a smaller EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) Grande-class satellite mission …

Small Spacecraft Sample Return Mission Concept To Support Gateway And Lunar Science, Alan M. Cassell, Jeffrey D. Smith, Matthew M. Wittal, Randy D. Gordon, Jennifer G. Morgan

Small Satellite Conference

Sustaining long-term presence at the Moon will likely require innovative and cost-effective approaches for frequent and affordable payload return. NASA Ames Research Center and the Deep Space Logistics team at Kennedy Space Center (which manages the Gateway Logistics Services missions) have investigated the development of a small spacecraft-based sample return capability to complement the limited sample return capacity available with the early Orion missions. The goal is to demonstrate a cost-effective capability as part of an early Deep Space Logistics mission and provide up to 10 kg (~ 4 L volume) of scientific payload returned from the Gateway. The mission …