Digital Commons Network^™

Review Of Microgravity Biotechnology For Space Applications: The Anujiva Perspective, Saranya Ravva, Yukti Makkar, Abeneth Ramachandran, Sai Kiran Parre

Small Satellite Conference

Biomanufacturing in microgravity presents transformative opportunities for biotechnology beyond the limitations of terrestrial environments. Gravity-driven convection, sedimentation, and contamination risks often hinder biological productivity on Earth. In contrast, space-based conditions enhance protein crystallization, three-dimensional cell culture, and the production of novel biomaterials. This review synthesizes recent advancements in microgravity-enabled biotechnology, drawing from recent peer-reviewed literature and mission data.

We focus on the emerging field of autonomous bioreactor systems for space applications, emphasizing innovations in miniaturization, closed-loop environmental control, and real-time sensing. As a representative case study, we examine the AnuJIVA initiative, a CubeSat-based platform engineered for cultivating microorganisms such as …

Astra – Autonomous Satellite Technology For Resilient Applications: A Technology Demonstrator, Lauren Underwood, Fernando Figueroa, Zachary Lewton, Landon Tynes, Travis Martin, Jonathan Morris, Quentin Oswald, John Curry

Small Satellite Conference

ASTRA is an on-orbit technology demonstrator establishing a new paradigm for implementing on-board “thinking.” ASTRA is a system-level autonomy capability (including digital twins, anomaly detection, diagnostics/prognostics, and mission management) enabled by an innovative technology, NPAS - NASA Platform for Autonomous Systems. NPAS is developed by NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC) Autonomous Systems Laboratory (ASL) with support from NASA Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) Advanced Exploration Systems and Mars Campaign Office. ASTRA leverages NPAS for on-board “thinking” autonomy. ASTRA also includes advanced hardware required for implementing autonomy. ASTRA Flight Software (FS) is running on commercial hardware that provides the computational …

Chipsat Design For The Descent Mission, Matt Hurford, Bryan Peters, Joshua Umansky-Castro, Corbin Heywood, Andy Filo, Alex Burke

Small Satellite Conference

The Demonstration of Suborbital ChipSats Ejected from New Shepard Test Flight (DeSCENT) mission, conducted by Cornell’s Space Systems Design Studio (SSDS) in partnership with the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), is a suborbital endeavor that aims to deploy 100 ChipSats from a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket when the rocket reaches 100 km above the Earth’s surface. ChipSats are a type of FemtoSat (satellite with a mass less than 100 grams) that can fit into the palm of your hand and contain all the fundamental functionality of a spacecraft. The mission’s primary objective is to refine models that predict the freefall …

Productization And Qualification Of A 22n Bipropellant Hydrogen Peroxide Engine, Thomas White, Vivek Vidyarthi, Avery Clotfelter

Small Satellite Conference

As the space industry expands quickly and green propellants enjoy growing interest, the key question of research is no longer basic viability but productization. The most valuable engine is one that is qualified and available as close to “off the shelf” as possible. But publications on the process of taking an engine from first demonstrations to true product status are rare. This paper describes the process of transitioning Benchmark Space System’s 22N Ocelot engine – first flown as the 1.0 product version in 2022 – into a high-volume, well-characterized product, including details on the qualification program for the 1.2 version, …

In 8 Years From Design To Launch: Objectives, Challenges And Risk Mitigation Of The Educational Student Cubesat Project Source, Philipp Hoffmann, Kaja Gebhard, Mario Spahr, Klemens Boltenhagen, Michael O'Donohue, Daniel Galla, Robin Schweigert, Natascha Bonidis, Sabine Klinkner

Small Satellite Conference

The Stuttgart Operated University Research CubeSat for Evaluation and Education (SOURCE) project is a 3U+ CubeSat developed in collaboration between the Small Satellite Student Society at the University of Stuttgart (KSat e.V.) and the University of Stuttgart’s Institute of Space Systems. This educational satellite mission is designed to provide students with hands-on experience in all phases of satellite development, from the initial concept to the final mission operations. SOURCE’s development began in 2018 and has been supported by ESA’s Fly Your Satellite! program since 2020. Over the past seven years, more than 500 students have had the opportunity to work …

High-Performance Green Hydrazine-Based Propellant For Small Spacecraft, Robert K. Masse, Andrew R. Haviland, Benjamin A. Glassy, Ronald A. Spores, Joshua L. Rovey

Small Satellite Conference

Whereas the last decade has seen a notable expansion in the number of small spacecraft on orbit, a lack of high-total-impulse chemical propulsion options continues to hamper their complete proliferation into mission arenas requiring dynamic maneuvering. This has been particularly true at the NanoSat/CubeSat scale, where volume limitations are most constraining. Because SmallSats are generally launched as secondary payloads, green ionic liquid propellants such as ASCENT and LMP-103S have been recognized as particularly advantageous in that they introduce minimal logistical impacts to primary payload integration workflow. However, despite the substantial packaging advantages conferred by their high impulse density, these propellants …

Target Selection For The Pandora Smallsat: A Nasa Mission To Disentangle Stellar And Exoplanet Atmosphere Signals, Knicole Colón, Elisa Quintana, Thomas Barclay, Benjamin Hord, Jessie Dotson, Daniel Apai, Benjamin Rackham, Jason Rowe

Small Satellite Conference

The Pandora SmallSat mission was selected for implementation in 2021 as part of NASA’s Astrophysics Pioneers Program. Pandora is designed to monitor stellar variability while studying the atmospheres of transiting exoplanets via transmission spectroscopy. The transmission spectroscopy technique is one of the best methods to identify the makeup of exoplanetary atmospheres now and in the coming decade. However, stellar variations that occur from the presence of, for example, cool star spots, have been shown to contaminate the exoplanet atmosphere spectra obtained with high-precision transmission spectroscopy measurements. This stellar contamination leads to ambiguous interpretations when attempting to distinguish features like potential …

Game-Changing Technologies For Green Propulsion Operating With 98% Hydrogen Peroxide, Pawel Surmacz, Adrian Parzybut, Michal Ranachowski, Zbigniew Gut, Michal Alaszkiewicz

Small Satellite Conference

The propellant grade hydrogen peroxide is coming back to space industry. While launcher applications would accept lower grades of High Test Peroxide (HTP) for cost reduction, the highest possible concentration matters much more for in-space propulsion. Every 1% in peroxide concentration translates to the propulsive performance (specific impulse) roughly in 1% for monopropellant and 0.5% for bipropellant.

The highest HTP grade provides certain advantages. While being more reactive, it requires less catalyst for its full decomposition, resulting in hardware mass and cost reduction. When used with any kind of bipropellant (either catalyst-augmented or hypergolic, and including hybrid), the highest grade …

Rhok-Sat: Investigating Perovskite Solar Cell Performance And Degradation In Low Earth Orbit Through A 1u Cubesat, José R. Pastrana, Anas Matar, Kerry Tang, Damian Nguyen, Marouf M. Paul, Mallory Miller, Phuc H. Nguyen, Jasper Scherz, Zheng Yu Wong, Jess G. Hamer, Olivia A. Kaufmann, Benjamin T. Wilson, B. Burnham

Small Satellite Conference

RHOK-SAT is a 1U CubeSat scheduled to launch in September 2025 aboard a resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) through NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) program. Its mission is to characterize the performance and degradation of six experimental perovskite solar cells in low Earth orbit for 12 months. Characterization consists of current-voltage measurement taken by one dedicated microcontroller per solar cell. Measurements are performed when the cells are in direct sunlight, determined via a quadrant photodiode. A silver-alloyed copper indium gallium selenide (ACIGS) solar cell serves as a reference for comparative analysis due to its well-characterized behavior. Each …

Standards And Schematics For Intelligent Extensible Mission Architectures In Space, Evana Gizzi, Alan Gibson, James Marshall, Shannon Bull, Timothy Chase Jr., Jonathan Davis, Matthew Dosberg, Michael Johnson, Peter Knudtson, John Lucas, Michael Monaghan, Chris Robberts, Daniel Rogers, Bethany Theiling, Julie Breed, Larry Kepko, Carrie Vuyovich, Connor Firth, Lily Clough, Aaron Woodard, Brian Kempa, Caleb Adams, Robin Onsay, Sam Pedrotty, James Berck

Small Satellite Conference

As the space sector trends toward complex mission types, the demand for multi-asset, multi-generational, and multi-organizational paradigms has grown. It is critical that the spaceflight community builds the infrastructure needed to realize these mission architecture goals. To this end, we present a standard and schematic for intelligent extensible mission architectures, which will allow missions of the future to be distributed, heterogeneous, incremental, and interoperable for enhanced flexibility, adaptability, and responsiveness in space. We begin by describing a motivation for intelligent extensibility, followed by a review of related work in standards and autonomous multi-agent systems. Next, we present the theoretical definition …

Machine Learning For Interference Detection And Mitigation On Space Telecom Software-Defined Radio Signals, Adhémar De Senneville, Dennis Ogbe, Zaid Towfic

Small Satellite Conference

Detecting anomalies and interference is an essential capability of contemporary flight radios and ground support equipment. The advent of software-defined radios (SDRs) has made this task feasible. These radios allow real-time monitoring and potential mitigation of interference by adjusting frequency bands. This feature is useful as spacecraft components degrade and interference from other instruments may disrupt communications. The implementation of automated anomaly detection systems on SDRs can enhance both spacecraft and ground station testing by identifying abnormal waveforms and potential interference in communication channels. First, this work investigates how machine learning compares against classical signal processing approaches for the anomaly …

Night Sky Brightness Caused By Orbital Reflectors, Erkin Sidick, Ben Nowack, Tristan Semmelhack

Small Satellite Conference

We are in the process of developing a system which redirects the incoming sunlight to a stationary ground target after sunset and before sunrise. One of the purposes is to extend operating hours of solar-farms to after sunset and before sunrise. Our system contributes to light pollution as a by-product. We have developed an optical model to predict the night sky glow caused by the light coming from an orbital reflector. In this paper we will review some work done by others on the night sky brightness caused by artificial city lights first, then present our results of model predictions …

Mosaic - A Modular Orbital Satellite For Advanced Innovation And Curriculum, Evan Jellison

Small Satellite Conference

This paper presents MOSAIC (Modular Orbital Satellite for Advanced Innovation and Curriculum), an open-source, modular satellite platform designed to advance space technology education and to accelerate satellite mission design. MOSAIC is a demonstrator satellite, or “mocksat” that leverages commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and a modular hardware ecosystem to make satellite technology accessible, affordable, and adaptable for educational institutions and research teams. This work details the technical architecture of MOSAIC, its potential educational benefits, cost analysis, and open-source philosophy, demonstrating its goals to democratize access to satellite engineering and foster the next generation of space professionals.

Development Of A Cubesat-Sized Hybrid Chemical Propulsion System For In-Orbit Demonstration, Sheila Langa, Ryosuke Kawabata, Izumi Chimoto, Yasuhiro Fukumoto, Taejun Son, Gonzalo Campos, Shota Hirai, Landon Kamps

Small Satellite Conference

Letara Ltd. is a company based in Hokkaido, Japan, specializing in in-space hybrid chemical propulsion systems. Letara has been actively researching CubeSat-sized hybrid chemical thrusters with a focus on fuel optimization and improved scalability for small satellite applications.

The first project is based on a 2U-sized thruster with the aim to demonstrate a safe, sustainable, and scalable miniaturized hybrid propulsion system in orbit. The technology demonstration is scheduled for 2026.

An Updated Architecture For A Modular And Scalable Edge Computing System For Small Spacecraft, Kelly Williams, Michael Pham, Zachary Gaines, Alex Mariano, Janelle Tran, John Pollak, Luca Lanzillotta, Phylis Nelson

Small Satellite Conference

SCALES (Spacecraft Compartmentalized Autonomous Learning and Edge-computing System) is a novel hardware/software system for the enhancement of machine learning onboard small spacecraft. Through the first year of development under the NASA University SmallSat Technology Partnerships (USTP) program the team has been able to design and develop the first prototype of the system.

SCALES combines the use of commercial off-the-shelf hardware and the open-source F’ software framework developed by JPL. The system is aimed at coupling radiation tolerant flight computer with the capability of high-performance edge computers. The radiation tolerant flight computer is responsible for the operation of the spacecraft and …

Unikernels: A New Paradigm For Secure, Scalable, And Efficient Small Satellite Operations, Thomas Gazagnaire, Rizo Isrof, Virgile Robles, Miklos Tomka

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented during the 2025 SmallSat Conference.

Novel Pressure-Based Electric Propulsion Discovery, Wesley Faler, Brad Berkson

Small Satellite Conference

This paper presents a novel electric propulsion system that uses pulsed plasma and ion- electron recombination to generate thrust primarily from internal pressure, using water vapor as propellant. In-space testing of the Poseidon^™ thruster demonstrated 37.49 mN average thrust and over 4,800 seconds specific impulse at under 1.5 W input power. A physics-based model captures the full mass, energy, and momentum balances and matches experimental results, supporting pressure as the dominant thrust mechanism. Experimental detection of proton–boron fusion in the exhaust plume further validates the system's plasma behavior and confirms a key element of its operating cycle.

Big Data Solutions For Cubesat Mission Operations: A Case Study From The Michigan Exploration Lab, Daniil Voloshin, James W. Cutler

Small Satellite Conference

As space missions generate increasingly vast and complex datasets, efficient data management and processing solutions are critical. At the Michigan eXploration Lab (MXL) at the University of Michigan, where we design, build, and operate CubeSats, we have adopted big data technologies, specifically a Hadoop and Spark-based cluster, to address challenges in handling and analyzing large-scale data. These challenges include processing raw I/Q sample recordings from CubeSat satellite passes and suborbital missions, as well as mission-long spacecraft telemetry. The cluster leverages the distributed storage capabilities of the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) and the in-memory data processing power of Apache Spark, …

Predicting Tle Covariance Using Transformer-Based Time Series Forecasting, Thijs Verhaeghe, Bart De Clerk, Ben Lauwens, Tjorven Delabie, Dirk Vandepitte, Bart Vandenbussche

Small Satellite Conference

This paper introduces the notion of using a transformer-inspired time series forecasting model, more specifically IBM’s Tiny Time Mixer (TTM), to predict the covariance of Two-Line Elements (TLEs). The pre-trained compact univariate model is finetuned on a dataset of historical TLEs. Using the well established technique of pairwise differencing, a fixed-interval time series of TLE covariances is generated. This series is merged with exogenous variables extracted from the TLEs themselves, such as the classical orbital elements. The multi-level modeling capabilities of the TTM allow it to capture inter-channel correlations, crucial to capture the complex interactions inherent in the prediction of …

Larkspur Cut Flower Production In Utah, Nick Volesky, Melanie Stock

All Current Publications

Larkspur is an annual crop that provides vertical structure, height, and balance to floral arrangements. Stems also dry well, making them ideal for dried floral designs and other products. Paired with low input costs compared to many other flowers, larkspur is a competitive local crop for small farms. Utah State University (USU) trialed three colors for each Cannes, Fancy, and QIS^TM series (C. ajacis) in 2023 and 2024. This fact sheet covers site preparation, direct sowing and plant density, nutrient management, irrigation, pests and disease, harvest and storage, and economics.

Successful Demonstrations Of The Elroi Satellite License Plate, David M. Palmer, Rebecca M. Holmes Sandoval

Small Satellite Conference

ELROI (Extremely Low Resource Optical Identifier) is a system that attaches a small, cheap, low power, autonomous blinking light to a satellite or other space object to allow it to be unambiguously identified by ground observations using a small telescope. This can provide a resolution to the space object identification problem for future launches at minimal technical and financial costs to the satellite operator. In 2024, two satellites carrying ELROI Space Object Tracking Units were successfully launched on separate rocket launches. As reported here, in both cases ELROI provided the first definitive identification of each satellite, sooner than achieved by …

Figaro (5g Phased Array Antenna For Lunar Relay Operations) High-Altitude Balloon Flight Test, Seth Waldstein, James Downey, Bryan Schoenholz, Sarah Dever, Mick Koch, Taylor Pember, Lauryn Leslie, Casey Baron, James Nessel, Satish Sharma, Sanghamitro Das

Small Satellite Conference

NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program has outlined lunar internet (LunaNet) requirements for beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) communications between lunar surface assets. These requirements include providing a Ka-band, high-resolution video link to relay between a dynamically moving Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) and stationary lunar habitat or Human Landing System (HLS). The NASA 5G Array for Lunar Relay Operation (FIGARO) project’s aim is to demonstrate this architecture using a High-Altitude Balloon (HAB) hosting an active phased array (APA) antenna bent-pipe relay system to communicate between two ground terminals using 5G FR2 band beamforming integrated circuits. Fundamental objectives for this demonstration are successfully …

Satellite Passive Ranging Metasurface Optics For Space Rendezvous And Proximity Operations, Jeremy Harris, Zachary Coppens, Cameron Vo, Addison Long

Small Satellite Conference

Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) are pivotal in a range of space missions, including satellite servicing, debris removal, and formation flying. Traditional RPO sensor technologies, such as LiDAR, radar, and visual cameras, face limitations in terms of power and size requirements. This work introduces a novel passive ranging sensor based on metasurface optics (meta-optics), designed to reduce power and size requirements while enhancing RPO activities by utilizing a single aperture imaging and ranging sensor. The meta-optic device features subwavelength-engineered structures that encode range information using a rotational, double helix point spread function. This new sensor offers potential for reduced power …

Vision-Based Dynamic Tasking For Earth-Observing Satellite Constellations, Shreeyam Kacker, Kerri Cahoy, Kiruthika Devaraj, Işıl Demir, Steve Chien

Small Satellite Conference

Unpredictable phenomena such as cloud coverage pose a challenge for conventional Earth observation. Long lead times can cause conditions to change between forecasting, scheduling, and image capture, leading to suboptimal observations. To combat this, dynamic tasking has been proposed as a mission concept, where perception and autonomy are moved onboard the spacecraft in order to quickly respond to changes in the spacecraft’s imaging schedule, leveraging the compute power available in modern Earth-observing spacecraft. In this work, we explore the use of a wide field-of-view body-fixed lookahead sensor, separate from the main imaging payload, to evaluate the real-time utility of upcoming …

Scope-1: On-Orbit Surface Feature-Based Navigation And Timing Mission Overview, Paula Delfin, Lance Lui, Margaret Lambert, Dominic Nguyen, Meenakshi Kalinathabotla, Dylan Mcintyre, Maximilian Roccioli, Riley Vazquez, Yan Zhe Wong, Yulia Meza, Brandon Jones, Renato Zanetti

Small Satellite Conference

The SpaceCraft for Optical-based Position Estimation-1 (SCOPE-1) is a 3U CubeSat developed by the Texas Spacecraft Laboratory (TSL) at The University of Texas at Austin to demonstrate near real-time Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) estimation primarily using optical detections of Earth’s islands and archipelagos. The mission adapts algorithms originally developed for lunar crater-based PNT and applies them to terrestrial features for validation in low Earth orbit (LEO). SCOPE-1 features an onboard system combining Mask R-CNN-based surface-feature detection, catalog-based feature identification, and an extended Kalman filter (EKF) to estimate position and timing in near real-time. The SCOPE-1 spacecraft will be built …

Orpheus: A Uk-Led Space Mission To Characterize The Space Domain And Advance Future Concepts For Defense, Kit Grange, Alexander Agathanggelou, Gemma Attrill, Alex Gannon, Christine Mccullough, Graham Routledge, Andy Wells, Andrew Nicholas, Bruce Fritz, Daniel A. Lavigne, Robert Boucher

Small Satellite Conference

The ORPHEUS mission is a collaborative research mission between the UK Defence Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and the Canadian Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) to characterise the space domain and advance future concepts for defence.

The ORPHEUS mission comprises two CubeSats flying in a lead-trail configuration in a near-polar low earth orbit and aims to launch in 2027. This is a follow-on mission to the Coordinated Ionospheric Reconstruction Cubesat Experiment (CIRCE) and Prometheus-2 CubeSat missions that were lost due to a launch failure at the start of 2023, combining and updating the payload …

Canadian Space Agency Satellite Operations For The Quantum Encryption And Science Satellite (Qeyssat) Mission, Tyler Hrynyk, Patrick Irvin, Christian Carrié, Maude Robichaud, Philippe Méhu, Éric Gloutnay, Étienne Boulais, Alexander Koujelev, Lydia Philpott, Alexey Tikhomirov, Stéphane Routhier, Hicham Safoine

Small Satellite Conference

The Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA) Quantum EncrYption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat) mission launching in late 2026 will be the first demonstration of ground-to-space Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) in Canada. For this system, the receiving platform is a microsatellite in low earth orbit and the photon source is hosted in a ground based Optical Quantum Ground Station (OQGS). Together, they will enable the creation and exchange of cryptographic keys, establishing secure quantum communications at a minimum distance of 500 km. In the first year of operations, experiments will be performed to demonstrate QKD as an uplink via Weak Coherent Pulse (WCP) …

Lightsheet Anomaly Resolution And Debris Observation (Larado), Andrew Nicholas, Kenneth Marr, Josh Wolf, Charles Brown, Vanessa Kooi, Ted Finne, Scott Budzien, Cosimos Cendo, Ivan Galysh

Small Satellite Conference

Space objects in the size range of 0.1 mm to 3 cm are not currently trackable but have enough kinetic energy for lethal consequences to spacecraft. Small orbital debris poses a risk to most space missions; the detection of this debris requires a combination of a large sensor area and large time coverage. For example, a sensor with a time area product of 3 m²years can make a significant contribution to our understanding of the near-Earth small debris population. Deploying large sensors like physical witness plates is resource intensive, due to their size and weight. The light sheet …

In-Orbit Commissioning Results Of The Esa Φsat-2 Mission, Nicola Melega, Agnė Paškevičiūtė-Kidron, Nicolas Longepe, Mirko Albani, Louis Dadswell, George Hine, Jacob Bullard, Alessandro Marin

Small Satellite Conference

The commissioning of the ESA Φsat-2 mission marks a significant milestone in the advancement of Earth observation technologies, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) and edge computing. Launched on August 16, 2024, aboard the SpaceX Transporter 11 rideshare flight, the Φsat-2 mission aims to demonstrate the feasibility of running an entire data processing chain onboard, from Level 0 to Level 2, showcasing the latest advancements in edge computing and AI. The mission began with the successful separation of the Φsat-2 spacecraft from the launcher, followed by the establishment of communication 90 minutes post-launch over the Troll ground station. …

Advanced Hyperspectral Imaging From Orbit: Achievements And Challenges From The First Year Of Tanager-1, Jeff Guido, Mark Keremedjiev, James Mason, Riley Duren, Judy Lai-Norling, Kirk Seaman, Robert Green

Small Satellite Conference

In August 2024, Planet Labs PBC launched Tanager-1, a small satellite class hyperspectral satellite designed to detect methane point source emissions, developed through the Carbon Mapper partnership. In a short time, Tanager-1 began imaging and demonstrating the exceptional sensitivity of the onboard VSWIR imaging spectrometer designed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The early performance of Tanager-1 signals a significant advancement in remote sensing capability made possible by an innovative public-private partnership bringing together commercial, non-profit, philanthropic, academic, and government entities.

Leveraging JPL-developed technology and Planet’s proven expertise in spacecraft development and operation, Tanager-1 acquires high-fidelity hyperspectral data across the 400-2500 …