Digital Commons Network^™

Reacquiring Satellites After Unknown Maneuvers In Sensor Blind Spots: A Physics-Informed Behavioral Framework For Closed-Loop Custody Recovery, Naushad Rahman, Niha Agarwalla, Hardik Patel

Small Satellite Conference

Operational problem

After a maneuver during a sensor blind spot, a pre­-gap catalog state may no longer be operationally sufficient. A null look at GS2 must become evidence for where the object could be­ – and where to task next – before access expires.

Leveraging Persistent L-Band Leo-To-Geo Relays For The Orchestration Of High-Bandwidth Optical Inter-Satellite Links, Jonathan Maier, Skylar A. Cox

Small Satellite Conference

As the already tremendous demand for data transfer in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) grows, Free-Space Optical (FSO) communication has emerged as a critical capability due to high data rates and inherent resilience attributes. However, the operational complexity of FSO, specifically the Pointing, Acquisition, and Tracking (PAT) process, requires significant operational planning. The narrow beamwidth of optical terminals requires precise spatial coordination, resulting in latency during link establishment, heavy reliance on scheduled ground-based commanding, and an impediment to agile, responsive, and ad hoc operations.

This paper presents a novel orchestration architecture utilizing Viasat’s L-band space relay network as a persistent, always-on …

Metadata-Conditioned Dark-Frame Modelling And Hsdr-Scanfusion Denoising: A Physics-Informed Independent Tool For Low-Cost Hyperspectral Small-Satellite Calibration, Nooh Adnan, Kyaw Thiha, Raffael Gil Dela Cruz, Li Cheng Zheng, Faijul Amin, Areeba Khan, Sameha Tasnim, Sung Jegal, Yunhan Bao, Iliya Shofman

Small Satellite Conference

Hyperspectral imaging in the shortwave-infrared spectrum is valuable for orbital Earth observation, but its use on low-cost, resource-constrained small satellites is limited by thermally dependent dark current, fixed-pattern noise, and intermittent access to matched calibration frames. Traditional mitigation through active cooling, shutters, or frequent dark-frame acquisition can be difficult to accommodate within small-satellite mass, power, volume, and operations budgets. This paper presents a physics-informed independent calibration tool that reconstructs condition-matched dark response from acquisition metadata rather than relying on hardware-heavy calibration at every operating point. The framework combines a stochastic dark-noise simulator, a metadata-conditioned neural dark operator that predicts spectral-spatial …

Event-Driven Spacecraft Operations Demonstrated On Mms, Miles Bengtson, Alexander Barrie, Joseph Patton, Liam Greenlee, Paul Wood, Marcus Piquette, Russell Bjella, Matthew Chang, Joshua Paul

Small Satellite Conference

Operations engineers face the challenging task of capturing high-value science data while maintaining spacecraft health and functionality and responding to a dynamic space environment using limited information. This task is becoming increasingly complex as missions involve increasingly large numbers of spacecraft, target more elusive science signatures, and operate under growing budget and staffing constraints. Conventional pre-programmed time-sequence commands become increasingly burdensome for multi-spacecraft missions and are fundamentally incapable of reacting to rare, transient science events in real time.

To address this challenge, we have developed MEDOS: the Module for Event-Driven Operations of Spacecraft. Unlike machine learning and neural-network approaches, MEDOS …

Design And Qualification Of A Compact, Deployable Dual-Monopole Antenna System For Remote Sensing Microsatellites, Alexander J. Murphy, Bryan Johnston-Lemke, Robert E. Zee

Small Satellite Conference

Spacecraft conducting signals intelligence (SIGINT) missions require highly capable radio-frequency (RF) payloads. While the larger 80 kg-class platforms offer increased payload capacities, strict internal volume limitations persist. These constraints sometimes require stowing instruments, such as the dual-monopole Very High Frequency (VHF) antenna presented in this work, directly beneath the solar wings. This requirement has imposed a strict height constraint on the VHF antenna, mandating a highly compact and reliable deployment mechanism that avoids snagging or jamming during deployment. 

This paper presents the mechanism design and qualification test plan of a novel, deployable dual-monopole VHF antenna system designed to increase satellite …

Recovery Of Grus-1e From Magnetic Torquer Loss Using Data-Driven Open-Loop Attitude Steering, Nader Ganaba, Takanori Iwata, Minoru Kurata

Small Satellite Conference

In typical low Earth orbit (LEO) operations, the inability to remove excess angular momentum often leads to the decommissioning of a satellite. This paper presents the on-orbit recovery of GRUS-1E, a hundred kg class Earth observation satellite in Axelspace Corporation’s GRUS-1 constellation. The recovery followed the permanent loss of magnetic torquer commanding capability, which in turn disabled the satellite’s nominal reaction wheel momentum unloading. In addition, the satellite experienced persistent disturbance torques that significantly exceeded the combined contributions predicted by standard models, including gravity gradient, solar radiation pressure, aerodynamic drag, and the estimated residual magnetic dipole moment. The magnitude of …

Odin: Optomechanical Distributed Instrument For Inertial Sensing And Navigation, Mohanad Warrayat, Jackson Dahn, Ramses Miranda, Andrea Nelson, Jeremiah Stoddart, Miguel Dovale, Jose Sanjuan, Felipe Guzman, Daniel Selva

Small Satellite Conference

ODIN (Optomechanical Distributed Instrument for Inertial sensing and Navigation) is a gyroscope-free inertial measurement unit based on a cube of six monolithic fused silica wafers which complete a twelve-axis sensing capability, i.e., three linear, three angular, and six centripetal acceleration measurements. ODIN will fly as a secondary payload on the GRATTIS (Gravitational Reference Advanced Technology Test in Space) mission, slated for launch in February of 2027, led by the University of Florida and funded by the NASA InVEST program. By the end of the GRATTIS mission, it is expected that ODIN will reach an exit TRL-7.

The primary objective of …

A Proposed Development Process For A Hardware-In-The-Loop Testing System For Cubesat Components, Vahini N. Patel, Victoria Coverstone

Small Satellite Conference

Hardware-in-the-loop testing systems, commonly known as FlatSats, are testbed systems in which spacecraft subsystems, such as the onboard computer (OBC), power system, attitude determination and control system (ADCS), and communications, are laid flat and interconnected as they would be in an actual spacecraft. This arrangement gives easy access to each subsystem, enabling hardware and software testing and troubleshooting without risking fully assembled flight hardware.

FlatSats are widely used throughout the aerospace industry, from government agencies like ESA and NASA to private companies and university research labs, due to their versatility in enabling parallel development. This accelerates timelines and reduces …

Power Simulation Framework For Korucusat-2 Using Freeflyer, Sahil Singh, Annabel Rong, Mukund Karthikeyan

Small Satellite Conference

A FreeFlyer-based power simulation was developed for KORUCUSAT-2, a low Earth orbit CubeSat designed to monitor silicon-anode battery behavior in space. The spacecraft model uses body-mounted solar panels with five modules on each of the +X, -X, +Y, and -Y faces. The simulation integrates orbital propagation, Earth shadowing, Sun-incidence angle, ground-station visibility, mode-dependent subsystem loads, and battery-state propagation to estimate electrical margin. Battery watt-hours and normalized state of charge are updated at each 30 s step so that critical, low-power, operations, and transmission modes can be evaluated against stored-energy limits. The framework provides a traceable prelaunch test bench for power-system …

Multi-Satellite Optical Link Scheduling With Direct Nonlinear Attitude Planning, Leif Nelson, Yung-Jai Pomeroy, Daniel J. Garcia

Small Satellite Conference

The Problem:

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations increasingly rely on Optical Inter-Satellite Links (OISL) to route data across dynamic satellite networks. As satellites move through their orbits, communications continuously change due to line-of-sight constraints, link quality variations, and spacecraft pointing limitations. Traditional routing approaches often consider network optimization separately from spacecraft attitude control, creating a disconnect between planned routes and physically achievable communication links. This work addresses the challenge of simultaneously generating communication routes while validating that satellites can physically point toward their assigned target. The result is an end-to-end framework that integrates network planning, optical link feasibility, and spacecraft …

Design Of A Passive Magnetic Bearing Reaction Wheel For Smallsats And Its Micro-Vibration Performance, Mante Baekeland, Konstantinos Gryllias, Dirk Vandepitte, Cedric Cuypers, Niel Deckers, Tjorven Delabie, René Seiler

Small Satellite Conference

Reaction wheels are a primary source of micro-vibrations aboard satellite platforms, limiting the fine-pointing capability of spacecraft. This paper presents a novel passive magnetic bearing reaction wheel featuring a magnetic–mechanical suspension to reduce operational vibration emissions compared with conventional ball bearing systems. The proposed suspension architecture combines radial permanent magnetic bearings with an axial single-point-contact ball pivot bearing, resulting in a compact, fully passive solution tailored for the SmallSat market. To demonstrate the feasibility of the concept, a hardware prototype was manufactured and tested. Stable operation is achieved across the full operational range up to 4800 rpm. The experimental campaign …

Analysis Of Satellite Drag, Orbit Tracking, And Associated Operational Impacts In Very Low Earth Orbit (Vleo), Angela Crews, Adrian Bryant, Nicholas Ratajczyk, Alec Yenawine, Conor Benson, Chris Roseman, Sara Swenson, Greg Furlich, Rick Marcusen, Sierra Flynn, Chris Pankratz, Scott Palo, Iain Boyd, Marcin Pilinski

Small Satellite Conference

Large constellations of SmallSats in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) are now delivering critical capabilities for missions in Earth observation, navigation, and communications. Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), defined here as below 400 km altitude, is emerging as a new frontier for SmallSat constellations due to its unique advantages. VLEO offers improved spatial resolution for Earth observations, reduced latency, increased signal power, and a naturally self-cleaning orbital environment. However, operating spacecraft in VLEO is non-trivial as the spacecraft must overcome the residual atmosphere at these altitudes and the resulting increase in aerodynamic drag and atomic oxygen fluence. As interest grows in …

Development, Verification And Operations Of The Technology Demonstration Payloads On The Source-2 Education Mission At The University Of Stuttgart, Marlin Kanzow, Manfred Ehresmann, Daniel Galla, Sabine Klinkner, Aaron Schmidt, Max Bode, Saulius Juodkazis

Small Satellite Conference

The Stuttgart Operated University Research Cubesat for Evaluation and Education 2 (SOURCE-2) mission serves as a student-led hands-on education project at the University of Stuttgart. Developed jointly by the Institute of Space Systems (IRS), and the Student Small Satellite Association (KSat e.V.) at the University of Stuttgart, the mission enables students to apply theoretical knowledge within an interdisciplinary 6U+ CubeSat project while simultaneously serving as a technology demonstration platform for sustainable space technologies. The payload suite targets future On-Orbit Servicing (OOS), Active Debris Removal (ADR), and next-generation small satellite missions. This paper presents the development, verification strategy, and planned in-orbit …

Multi-Modal Detection And Attribution Algorithm For Low Power Edge Compute Hardware, Margaret Michelsen, Jackson Gardner, Shawn Jones, Jackson Kulik, Mario Harper

Small Satellite Conference

We present a multi-modal detection and attribution algorithm for maritime domain awareness designed to execute on low-power FPGA-based edge compute hardware. Spaceborne hyperspectral sensors generate data volumes far exceeding practical downlink capacity, yet the onboard compute platforms available for real-time processing operate within strict power, memory, and radiation constraints. The proposed algorithm fuses RX anomaly scoring, ACE matched filtering, multi-spectral index evaluation, wake-aware spatial scoring, and spectral glint cancellation in a five-stage pipeline designed for hardware-efficient execution. Mixed-precision quantization assigns FP16 arithmetic to covariance-sensitive stages and INT8 to threshold-based spectral computations, achieving a 12.4× model size reduction and 6.1× compute …

An Ai-Enabled Ground Processing Pipeline For Image Restoration And Super-Resolution In 1u Cubesat Missions, Juan Bernardo Calabrese, Manuel Alejandro González Mendoza, Eduardo De La Vega Segura

Small Satellite Conference

The inaugural 1U CubeSat mission of Universidad Panamericana represents a shift in academic remote sensing, prioritizing ground-segment intelligence to overcome the physical and computational constraints of a 10-centimeter cubic form factor. Given strict power limitations, the satellite utilizes a low-cost, space-qualified XCAM C3D imaging system providing moderate-quality 1.3MP imagery with a ground sample distance (GSD) of approximately 360 meters at an altitude of 550 kilometers. To transform these raw frames into high-value Earth Observation products, this paper details an automated ground station framework hosting a modular image processing pipeline. The pipeline combines traditional image processing—including histogram equalization and edge enhancement—with …

A Comparative Analysis Of Radio Frequency And Optical Inter-Satellite Link Communications For Leo Mega-Constellations, Alexa Houck, Suryansh Aryan, Kevin Schroeder, Samantha Kenyon

Small Satellite Conference

SpaceNet design  

Software-based testbed for simulating large satellite networks, specifically LEO-based constellations to analyze network behavior, connectivity, routing, and overall communication.  

• Phase one focuses on connectivity and routing: Given the topology and link availability over time, how does my network behave? 
• Phase two focuses on network emulation: Given the topology and link availability over time, how does my network behave? 

Multi-Phase Guidance And Control For Small Satellite Docking Via Deep Reinforcement Learning, Tanner Gill, Greg Furlich, Nisar Ahmed

Small Satellite Conference

As interest in small satellite Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking (RPOD) grows, so does the need for high-level autonomy in space systems. Current systems relying on constrained hardware and ground-in-the-loop decision-making are ill-equipped for the evolving, contested space domain. Recent research on autonomous spacecraft guidance and control has moved beyond established optimal control and trajectory optimization methods to incorporate Reinforcement Learning (RL), though these efforts have predominantly focused on a single operational phase. This research advances small satellite docking autonomy by formulating the reference scenario as a Hierarchical Markov Decision Process (H-MDP), expanding the scope of the learned guidance and …

Promoting Assured Formation Flight Autonomy Onboard Resource Constrained Systems, Ryan Johnson, Maggie Michelsen, Jackson Gardner, Mario Harper, Charles Swenson, Jackson Kulik, Shawn Jones

Small Satellite Conference

Autonomously determining fuel-optimal, formation-keeping trajectories for small spacecraft operating in formation flight is often limited by available processing power. Because SmallSat missions are constrained by size, weight, and power (SWaP), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are an attractive option for onboard computing. Traditional formation-keeping relies on convex optimization to solve for fuel-optimal burns and burn times; however, implementing these solvers on FPGAs is challenging due to limited board resources.

To address the need for fast, reliable trajectory planning onboard space vehicles, we investigate leveraging machine learning to reduce computational cost for real-time, onboard execution. We propose using a deep neural network …

Addressing Knowledge And Data Gaps That Limit Pesticide Risk Assessment For Managed Solitary Bees Used For Alfalfa Pollination, Kimberly J. Hageman

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Is Hanpp A Stressor Of Bird Species Richness?, Kaeli Mueller, Gustavo Ovando-Montejo, Christopher Lant

Environment and Society Student Research

One of the leading drivers of biodiversity loss is land use change due to the ever-increasing demand for food, livestock feed, biofiber, and biofuel. The concept of human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) was developed to measure the impact that humans have on the environment by accounting for biomass removed from the environment in the form of crops, timber, and grazing. The species–energy hypothesis is an established ecological hypothesis postulating that greater species diversity is correlated with higher levels of energy from plant productivity; this can be measured as net primary production minus harvested HANPP or NPP_ecological. …

Ground To Roof Snow Load Ratio (Gr) Data Release, Brennan Bean, Cooper Nelson, Jesse Wheeler, Scout Jarman, Salam Adil Al-Rubaye, Marc Maguire

Browse all Datasets

This data release provides historical ground-to-roof snow load ratio (GR) datasets used for snow load research and model development. The release includes original referenced datasets, cleaned country specific datasets, and a master dataset that combines Canadian and United States datasets into a standardized format for research and engineering applications.

Data Repository For "The Influence Of Hydrologic And Salinity Conditions On Drought-Tolerant Great Salt Lake Wetland Plant Species" By Samantha Kurkowski And Karin Kettenring, Samantha Kurkowski

Browse all Datasets

This greenhouse experiment investigated the effects of salinity (3 levels) and hydrologic condition (5 levels),  on the cover and biomass of a single mix of 11 native drought- and salt-tolerant species.

Investigating Factors That Affect Students' Help-Seeking Strategies In A University-Level Foundational Mathematics Course, Randall I. Haws

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Quantitative literacy, or the ability to understand and use mathematical information, is an important skill developed in college. However, required math courses can be a major obstacle for many students, and those who struggle to complete them are more likely to leave school without earning a degree. Understanding why some students seek help while others do not is key to improving student success.

This study explores how students in a university-level foundational mathematics course (college algebra) seek help and what factors influence their use of available support services. A total of 118 students completed a survey about their help-seeking behaviors, …

Causal Discovery In Photospheric Magnetic Field Time Series For Interpretable Solar Flare Prediction, Nathan W. Nelson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Solar flares are capable of damaging many valuable resources, including satellites, power grids, and even human lives. Being able to predict solar flares can allow for proactive measures to be taken that can prevent that damage. Many new deep learning methods for predicting solar flares have shown promise in this task, but the decisions they make are harder to explain to humans. This makes understanding why these models make mistakes difficult, which in turn makes fixing and maintaining them more challenging. We test a recent deep learning method that helps discover relationships between different measurements of the Sun as they …

Counterfactual Explanations For Time Series Classification: From Localized Perturbations To Realistic Generation, Peiyu Li

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Machine learning models are often used to classify signals collected over time, such as heart rhythms, movement recordings, industrial sensor measurements, and scientific observations. These models can be accurate, but they are often difficult to understand. Users may need to know not only what a model predicted, but also what would have needed to change for the model to reach a different decision.

This dissertation studies counterfactual explanations for time series data. A counterfactual explanation answers a “what-if” question. For example, if a model classifies a signal as one activity instead of another, the explanation shows how the signal would …

Integrating Hydrology And Human Water Footprints: A Case Study Of The Great Salt Lake Basin, Rachel Lynne Seeley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Global demand for water is outrunning supply, and how we account for water is part of the problem. Many water management frameworks are based solely on how much physical water moves through rivers, aquifers, and other water bodies, missing the water that is embedded in food and other products a region produces and exports. This study developed a new, generalizable water accounting framework that incorporates this “hidden water,” known as virtual water, into water management and applied the framework in the Great Salt Lake Basin.

The Great Salt Lake is shrinking, and an often-overlooked driver of the lake’s decline is …

Criticality In A Heterogeneous Neutron Transport Rod Model, Samuel Kaleb Crowford

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This work studies the stochastic behavior of neutron populations in a one-dimensional rod model using Monte Carlo simulation. The first part of this project reproduces the computational results of Dumonteil, Horton, Kyprianou, and Zoia (2025) by independently implementing the Monte Carlo algorithm described in their article, with the asymptotic behavior of the first moment analyzed in relation to the dominant eigenvalue and adjoint eigenfunction of the neutron transport operator. The model is then extended to a heterogeneous setting by introducing a central region where fission is suppressed. A global expectation over initial positions and directions is used to estimate the …

Effective Science Instruction For Elementary Aged Students With Significant Cognitive And Adaptive Delays, Rabecca L. Juarez

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

In Utah, students begin participating in statewide end-of-year assessments in third grade, with science added in fourth grade. Students with the most significant cognitive and adaptive disabilities participate in the Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) alternate assessment, which measures student performance in English language arts, mathematics, and science aligned to Essential Elements (EE). Despite participation in statewide accountability systems, students with significant cognitive disabilities in a Southwest Utah School District have consistently demonstrated low science performance on the DLM assessment.

The aim of this project was to collaboratively create science lessons for students who participate in the alternate assessment. This project …

Music And Middle School Mathematics, Cheryl L. Hawkins

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

The purpose of this project was to see if music playing in the background while learning essential mathematics skills would make a difference in the learning process of middle school students. For nine weeks I collected data on the scores of the special education students relearning skills they had been previously taught in a general education mathematics class. The students took a baseline assessment, then had 30-40 minutes of instruction spread across two days. They then took another assessment to see what the change was. During the lessons and assessments there was one of three conditions happening, one was silence, …

History In The Social Studies Classroom: Developing Historical Literacy And Skills Through Inquiry Lessons, Nancy J. Thatcher

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This Plan B project has created a series of inquiry-based lesson plans and activities for World History classrooms that emphasize historical literacy and disciplinary thinking. Rather than producing a traditional research thesis, this project emphasizes applied historical scholarship by translating historical and professional methodology into three classroom ready instructional lesson plans that are aligned with the Utah Core Standards for Social Studies. The project reflects the History MA’s emphasis on disciplinary rigor while addressing the practical needs of public history and education with pedagogical best practices. This project responds to ongoing challenges in World History education, including constrained instructional time, …