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One Year Satellite Operations Of The E-Band Technology Demonstration Cubesat Eive, Markus Kranz, Marius Eggert, Markus Koller, Michael Lengowski, Jakob Meier, Robin Müller, Robin Schweigert, Sabine Klinkner, Simon Haußmann, Laura Manoliu, Benjamin Schoch, Ingmar Kallfass, Axel Tessmann, Ralf Henneberger, Jens Freese

Small Satellite Conference

The Exploratory In-Orbit Verification of an E-band Link (EIVE) CubeSat is the latest satellite of the University of Stuttgart launched in June 2023. The CubeSat EIVE was developed and built together with partners in industry and research since 2019 and is operated by PhD, graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Stuttgart’s Institute of Space Systems (IRS). The main mission objective is the technology demonstration of a high-speed space-to-ground communication link in the E-band. EIVE may later be repurposed as an educational satellite for students.

The satellite is operated from the Mission Control Center (MCC) at the University of …

Ninjasat: Initial Operation Results Of The First Japanese 6u Cubesat For Bright X-Ray Sources, Tomoshi Takeda, Naoyuki Ota, Sota Watanabe, Amira Aoyama, Satoko Iwata, Takuya Takahashi, Kaede Yamasaki, Yuanhui Zhou, Keisuke Uchiyama, Yuto Yoshida, Syoki Hayashi, Arata Jujo, Toru Tamagawa, Takao Kitaguchi, Yo Kato, Tatehiro Mihara, Kentaro Taniguchi, Teruaki Enoto, Wataru Iwakiri, Masaki Numazawa, Hiroki Sato, Chin-Ping Hu, Hiromitsu Takahashi, Hirokazu Odaka, Tsubasa Tamba

Small Satellite Conference

We report the initial operation results of the first Japanese 6U CubeSat X-ray observatory NinjaSat, which was launched into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 530 km on November 11, 2023, by the SpaceX Transporter-9 mission. NinjaSat is designed to observe bright X-ray sources in the sky, such as black holes and neutron stars, which are often difficult to observe with modern large X-ray satellites due to instrument limitations. After the payload verification, NinjaSat observed the Crab Nebula on February 9 and correctly detected the 33.8 ms pulsation from the neutron star. With this observation, NinjaSat met the minimum …

Spirit Mission: In-Orbit Results And Technology Demonstrations, Michele Trenti, Miguel Ortiz Del Castillo, Robert Mearns, Jack Mcrobbie, Clint Therakam, Airlie Chapman, Andrew Woods, Jonathan Morgan, Simon Barraclough, Ivan Rodriguez Mallo, Giulia Baroni, Fabrizio Fiore, Yuri Evangelista, Riccardo Campana, Alejandro Guzman, Paul Hedderman

Small Satellite Conference

The Space Industry Responsive Intelligent Thermal (SpIRIT) 6U CubeSat is a mission led by The University of Melbourne in cooperation with the Italian Space Agency. SpIRIT received support from the Australian Space Agency and includes contributions from Australian space industry and international research organizations. Developed over the last four years and launched in a 510 km Polar Sun Synchronous Orbit in December 2023, SpIRIT carries multiple subsystems for scientific and technology demonstration. The main scientific payload is the HERMES instrument, a gamma and X-ray detector for detection of high-energy astrophysics transients (primarily Gamma Ray Bursts), and for studies of their …

Lessons Learned In The Operation Of The Hibari: Variable Shape Satellite, Daiki Kobayashi, Kei Watanabe, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Yuki Amaki, Kenichiro Takahashi, Yusaku Ozeki, Katsuki Tashiro, Riku Nishio, Ryo Saito, Yusei Kawaguchi, Kiyona Miyamoto, Toshihiro Chujo, Hiroki Nakanishi, Yoichi Yatsu, Saburo Matunaga

Small Satellite Conference

We have developed the 50 kg microsatellite “HIBARI”. The satellite demonstrated a novel attitude control method called “Variable Shape Attitude Control (VSAC)”. VSAC is a method that can quickly control attitude and has low energy consumption using reaction torque by driving variable shape structures. HIBARI was launched in 2021 under the Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program led by JAXA. We have been operating the satellite for two years and have demonstrated the VSAC mission. We achieved all minimum and full success criteria, including 30 deg/10sec agile attitude change.

On the other hand, we experienced problems like the degradation of satellite …

From Development Through Re-Entry: Ctim Operational Lessons Learned And Successes, Sierra Flynn, Gabe Bershenyi, Brian Boyle, Dave Harber, Beth Cervelli, Scott Gennari, Adalyn Fyhrie, Adrienne Pickerill, Jacob Sprunk, Karen Bryant, Cody Folgmann

Small Satellite Conference

The University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics’ (CU-LASP) Compact Total Irradiance Monitor (CTIM) SmallSat mission was a 6U CubeSat designed full-cycle and in-house between 2018-2022 and flew for 1.5 years after launch until re-entry, overshooting the 1-year mission lifetime goal. CTIM's primary mission was to measure the total irradiance of the Sun, with ancillary measurements of the night-side Earth IR radiance, while demonstrating new technological capabilities of silicon-substrate room temperature vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) bolometers. The instrument was based on the Total Irradiance Monitor design that flew on SORCE (2003), TCTE (2013), and TSIS (2017). CTIM …

Low-Latitude Ionosphere/Thermosphere Enhancements In Density Mission (Llited): Results And Challenges, Rebecca L. Bishop, William Chavez, Darren Rowen, Aroh Barjatya, Shantanab Debchoudhury, James Clemmons, Diana Swanson

Small Satellite Conference

The Low-Latitude Ionosphere/Thermosphere Enhancements in Density (LLITED) mission, a two 1.5U CubeSat mission to study nighttime ionosphere/thermosphere coupling, was successfully launched in the spring of 2023. While the CubeSats successfully reached orbit, the final orbit differed from the planned orbit. Both LLITED-A and LLITED-B spacecraft completed early orbit check out and commissioning, but due to a solar cell anomaly are operating with a significant reduction in power. This has resulted in a much lower duty cycle for each of the three science payloads: an ionization gauge (MIGSI) to observe neutral density, a planar ion probe (PIP) to observe plasma density, …

Deployable Antennas For Small Satellite Constellation Missions, Logan Arnold, Abigail Macgillivray, Gregory Jovanovic, Robert Zee

Small Satellite Conference

The Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) and HawkEye 360 have optimized the radio frequency (RF) design end the corresponding geometric requirements for the mechanical design of a deployable discone antenna. This high-performance deployable discone antenna maximizes its utility per volume of the small satellite for which it has been designed and built.

Deployables on small satellite constellation missions should be low-cost, manufacturable, and high-performance. This means that deployables must be capable of repeated stowage performed during test deployments without hindering performance or flight qualification. This deployable antenna will be launched and commissioned April 2024, making it the first ever on-orbit wideband …

Satnogs-Comms: Turnkey Nanosatellite Communications, Manolis Surligas, Agis Zisimatos, Ilias Daradimos, Aris Nikas, Dimitris Moustroufis Pierros Papadeas, Manthos Papamathaiou, Alfredos-Panagiotis Damkalis, Vasillis Tsiligiannis, Victoria Malyshkina

Small Satellite Conference

The SatNOGS-COMMS is a dual-band software configurable radio transceiver specifically designed for Telemetry and Telecommand (TMTC) in the UHF and S-band. It is designed to match best with nanosatellites and CubeSats missions operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) up to 800 km. The radio module supports full in-flight reconfiguration of the carrier and intermediate frequencies, bitrate, modulation options, and channel-filter bandwidth. SatNOGS-COMMS is fully compatible with SatNOGS Network for all TMTC functionality. The software and hardware are released as open source projects, which can be tailored to user needs.

Horizontal Link Demonstration Over 143 Km With Cubeisl: The World's Smallest Commercial Optical Communication Payload For Inter-Satellite Links, Jorge Rosano Nonay, René Rüddenklau, Benjamin Rödiger, Christopher Schmidt, Andreas Sinn, Georg Schitter

Small Satellite Conference

New developments in the field of free-space optical (FSO) communications are enabling a breakthrough in satellite miniaturization and data rates. The CubeISL laser communication terminal (LCT), developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), shall demonstrate in-orbit inter-satellite links (ISLs) at 100 Mbps and downlinks at 1 Gbps. When it launches in 2025, it aims to become the state-of-the-art technology for efficient CubeSat communications at high data rates and the world's smallest optical inter-satellite link terminal.

The performance of the CubeISL terminal was tested in a 143 km horizontal link between the islands of La Palma and Tenerife. In this setup, …

Power Supply And Rf Signal Routing Architecture Design For Ultralight Deployable Ka-Band Active Phased-Array Transceivers, Hiroki Hayashi, Yasuto Narukiyo, Delburg Mitchao, Yuki Takeda, Sene Kato, So Yeon Suk, Hiraku Sakamoto, Dongwon You, Kenichi Okada, Atsushi Shirane

Small Satellite Conference

The paper introduces a power supply and Radio Frequency (RF) signal routing architecture design for a foldable phased array transceiver intended for next-generation space communication systems. The transceiver is built using four 6-layer rigid-flexible substrates, enabling a high layer count and complex electrical routing. Using a DC-DC converter and changing the voltage from 5.5V to 1.2V reduces power loss by 43%. Three types of transmission lines are used to enable folding. These lines allow for complex, low-loss RF distribution. A prototype rigid flexible board was fabricated for evaluation, and power supply and RF were evaluated.

Development And Results Of A Lasercom Testbed For The Click B/C Cubesats And Future Missions, Thomas S. Schwarze, Danielle E. Coogan, Joseph Conroy, Pablo Santiago, John W. Conklin, Myles Clark, Paul Serra, Hannah Tomio, Nicholas Belsten, William Kammerer, Celvi Lisy, Paige Forester, Mohamed Mohamed, Leonardo Gallo, Ajay Gill, Kerri Cahoy, Jan Stupl, David Mayer, John Hanson

Small Satellite Conference

The expansion of interest in small satellite constellation networks underscores the need for precise timing synchronization and reliable high-bandwidth communication between spacecraft. The CubeSat Laser Infrared CrosslinK (CLICK) mission is being developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Florida, and NASA Ames Research Center. The first phase of the mission, CLICK A, was launched on July 14, 2022, aboard SpaceX’s CRS-25 and put into orbit from the International Space Station, where it successfully demonstrated the downlink to Earth. The second phase of the mission (CLICK B/C) will additionally demonstrate a crosslink between two 3U CubeSats (B and …

Mmsubarray: Enabling Joint Satellite And 5g Networks With Full-Spectrum Utilization In Millimeter-Wave Bands, Rohith Reddy Vennam, Ish Kumar Jain, Nagarjun Bhat, Suriyaa M., Dinesh Bharadia

Small Satellite Conference

Traditionally, satellite broadband services worldwide have relied on licensed spectrum, primarily utilizing the uplink 28 GHz band and downlink 18 GHz band. Concurrently, there has been a surge in millimeter-wave 5G deployment, particularly in the United States, Japan, and South Korea, leveraging frequencies around 28 GHz to enhance terrestrial connectivity and deliver faster data rates with lower latency. However, due to the significant spectrum overlap between 27.5 to 30.0 GHz, ground station uplink transmissions result in co-channel interference for 5G links, severely degrading 5G link efficiency or causing complete link failure. Current approaches, such as distance, frequency, and direction separation, …

Radiation-Tolerant Ka-Band Deployable Phased-Array Transceiver For Low-Earth Orbit Small Satellite Constellation, Yasuto Narukiyo, Xi Fu, Dongwon You, Sena Kato, Takashi Tomura, Hiraku Sakamoto, Kenichi Okada, Atsushi Shirane

Small Satellite Conference

This paper introduces the technology for radiation tolerance of Ka-band deployable phased-array antenna to provide wider communications infrastructure. Radiation in outer space degrades the performance of electronic devices. Furthermore, because the BFIC on the deployable phased-array antenna cannot be shielded due to the antenna structure, higher radiation tolerance is required than general aerospace ICs. The amount of radiation tolerance required was calculated and the high radiation tolerance technology of the BFIC was introduced, which was evaluated from the measurement results be exposing the BFIC to 3 Mrad radiation which exceeds the conventional measurement dose.

Generalized Attitude Estimation For Spacecraft, Patrick Mckeen, Kerri Cahoy

Small Satellite Conference

Attitude state estimation for spacecraft often requires writing an integrator or filter from scratch, with choices depending on the expected sensors, spacecraft and mission properties, and computational resources available. We create a customizable object-oriented satellite dynamics model with a variety of sensors, actuators, and disturbances that can be easily applied to any small spacecraft. Relevant disturbances can be modeled (or ignored), sensor and actuator biases are tracked, and outside effects like eclipse on sun sensors are included. In this work, we demonstrate the use of a new model to create a dynamics-aware unscented Kalman filter (UKF) that, in simulation, outperforms …

A Data-Efficient Model-Based Task Decomposition Approach For Massive Satellite Constellations, Benjamin Cooper, John Grimes, Michael Planer, Letitia Li, Daniel Wallach, Hooman Sherkat-Massoom, Alex Fox, Alessandro Monteros, Ryan Mohr, Maria Fonoberova, Lael Rudd

Small Satellite Conference

The rapid development and launch of low-cost satellites have led to constellations of hundreds of satellites, the proliferated Low Earth Orbit (p-LEO) constellation, and has changed the dynamic of space-based earth observation. The availability of massive numbers of satellites creates the opportunity to tackle larger scale problems, such as larger scale monitoring of wildlife, illegal fishing, and climate events. These opportunities must be met with increasing automation, preferably using an approach that executes and adapts on-orbit.

Optimizing distributed resources remains an astronomically challenging problem, even more so when computations are performed on the comparatively compute restricted hardware of satellites. We …

An Investigation Of Automation Strategies To Optimize Itasat2 Mission Operations, Renan Guilherme Soares Menezes, Lidia Hissae Shibuya Sato, Edson Wander Do Rego Pereira, Victoria De Souza Rodrigues, Luis Felipe Camponogara, Victor Oliveira Costa, Ana Carolina Di Iorio Jeronymo, Luís Eduardo Vergueiro Loures Da Costa

Small Satellite Conference

The ITA Space Center (CEI) is dedicated to advancing space systems and cultivating expertise in the sector. In pursuit of these objectives, CEI has initiated CubeSat development projects, commencing with the ITASAT mission launched in December 2018 and followed by the successful deployment of the SPORT satellite project in 2022. ITASAT's primary purpose was to be a hands-on project, from design to operation. SPORT is designed to study space weather, specifically focusing on the dynamics of plasma bubble formation in the ionosphere near-equatorial regions. Acknowledging the inherent challenges posed by power budget limitations, it became apparent that continuous scientific data …

Applying Machine Learning To Equatorial Plasma Bubble Now Casting On Cubesats, Benjamin Lewis, Shawn Jones, Charles Swenson, Kevin Moon, Mario Harper

Small Satellite Conference

Equatorial plasma bubbles are a space weather phenomenon that occur at low latitudes within the Earth’s ionosphere. These bubbles are regions of low-density plasma that form at the base of the ionosphere and expand upward through the peak and into the topside. They form in the early evening and persist through the nighttime, stretching north and south along magnetic field lines and effecting a sector of longitudes a few degrees wide. These bubbles cause scintillations on radio signals that pass through them, disrupting the performance of systems, such as GPS, throughout the night in regions around the Earth. Due to …

Adversarial Assessment Of The F Prime Flight Software Framework: Findings And Recommendations, Michael Boehm, Steven Doran, Arun Viswanathan

Small Satellite Conference

F Prime (F’) is a multi-platform, open-source flight software (FSW) framework developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). F’ provides a highly capable, component-driven framework tailored towards, but not limited to, small-scale systems like CubeSats, SmallSats, and instruments. We conducted an adversarial assessment of F’ aimed at evaluating its security vulnerabilities. This preliminary assessment of F’ entailed a multi-stage simulation of a malicious actor’s activities, including open-source reconnaissance, passive and active reconnaissance, and exploitation. In this paper, we present our methodology and discuss the preliminary findings of this assessment, which highlighted several areas where F’ could be enhanced. These areas …

From Ground To Orbit: Enhancing Satellite Autonomy With Ai-Powered Anomaly Detection, James Murphy, Fangyijie Wang, Muhammad Deedahwar Mazhar Qureshi, Brian Mac Namee

Small Satellite Conference

Recent advances in space technology have prompted a surge in the deployment of small satellite constellations by companies such as Starlink and OneWeb. Now numbering in the thousands, these constellations have significantly increased the burden on satellite operators who must monitor and manage them to ensure their safe and reliable functioning. In response to this heightened operational demand, autonomous small satellite operations have become a focal point for investment, innovation and exploration. The latest hardware breakthroughs in Edge AI have paved the way for applying artificial intelligence (AI) techniques directly on board these small satellite systems, heralding a new era …

Scales: A Preliminary Architecture For A Modular And Scalable Edge Computing System For Small Spacecraft, Kelly Williams, Janelle Tran, Michael Pham, Phyllis Nelson, Tarek Elsharhawy, Zachary Gaines

Small Satellite Conference

The Spacecraft Compartmentalized Autonomous Learning and Edge-computing System (SCALES) represents a groundbreaking advancement in on-orbit machine learning (ML) and edge computing. This integrated hardware and software system leverages Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) edge computing technology and NASA JPL's F' (F Prime) software framework to create a robust and reusable environment for ML algorithm execution and training directly on spacecraft.

SCALES addresses two primary challenges in the deployment of ML-based autonomy in Earth Orbit: the limited compute performance of flight-ready hardware and the absence of reliable, reusable software architectures for managing on-orbit computing. By combining a flight-qualified processor for core spacecraft functions …

The True Power Of The Memesat-1 Cubesat: Using Freeflyer To Develop Advanced Power Simulations, Clay Reece, Sydney Whilden, Deepak R. Mishra

Small Satellite Conference

The University of Georgia's Small Satellite Research Lab's Mission for Education and Multimedia Engagement Satellite (MEMESat-1) requires the use of variables such as power generation, power draw, orbital path, packet size, and data processing times. As power generation and change varies, MEMESat-1 will automatically transition through three operational modes to prevent battery depletion and halt system processes in case of anomalies. Taking these variables and operational modes into account, the MEMESat-1 Mission Operations (MOPS) team will use FreeFlyer software to create a power simulation model useful for analyzing power generation and draw during MEMESat-1's orbital cycle. The power limitations of …

Dorre: Autonomous Event Response Using An 8-Spacecraft Constellation, Michael Swartwout, Keith J. Bennett

Small Satellite Conference

Autonomy - the ability of system to retask itself in response to unexpected/unmodeled events - is an enabling technology for space missions. However, autonomy carries risk: what if the system makes unexpected or dangerous decisions? How can human operators trust that the system will not exceed certain bounds of behavior? Are we sure that an autonomous vehicle will outperform a human-directed system?

To address these questions, the Space Systems Research Laboratory (SSRL) of Saint Louis University is developing the Distributed Observation Reasoning and Reaction Experiment (DORRE). DORRE consists of 8 spacecraft operating together in low-Earth orbit to conduct a series …

Verification Of The Pointing Accuracy And Field Of View Of The X-Ray Detectors Onboard The 6u Cubesat X-Ray Observatory Ninjasat, Sota Watanabe, Tor Tamagawa, Teruaki Enoto, Takao Kitaguchi, Yo Kato, Tatehiro Mihara, Wataru Iwakiri, Masaki Numazawa, Keisuke Uchiyama, Tomoshi Takeda, Yuto Yoshida, Naoyiki Ota, Syoki Hayashi, Hiroki Sato, Arata Jujo, Amira Aoyama, Satoko Iwata, Takuya Takahashi, Kaede Yamasaki, Chin-Ping Hu, Hiromitsu Takahashi, Hirokazu Odaka, Tsubasa Tamba, Kentaro Taniguchi

Small Satellite Conference

No abstract provided.

Advancing Extraterrestrial Exploration Through Automated Ground Vehicles, Luisa Eusebia Gonzalez, Jackson Cordova, David Tuck Forbes, Grant Cardin, Alexander Debartolo, Allen Mitchell Malfavon, Harvey Perkins, Stephen Thiam-Choy Kwok-Choon

Small Satellite Conference

The project focuses on the development and fabrication of two multi-terrain rovers with autonomous tracking, navigation, and recovery capabilities. Driven by mission requirements for autonomous terrain maneuverability and flexible payload hosting, this team proposes a design that addresses the diverse needs of extraterrestrial exploration. The project features: a rocker-bogie chassis, with six-wheel drive capabilities, that will be providing the necessary stability and mobility across challenging terrains. A mounting place with universal spacing allows for the attachment of multiple payload types, ensuring adaptability for various scientific missions. The integration of micro controllers facilitates communication between the rovers and operators. Two distinct …

Wolfsat-1: A 1u Cubesat To Monitor Enzyme Activity Of Ideonella Sakaiensis In The Microgravity Environment, Kevin Simmons, Jasmin Consales, Alexander Castronovo, Colin Quinn, Daniel Portal Levy, Dylan Kiesling, Paul Kiesling

Small Satellite Conference

The Problem: Plastic Pollution • 420 million tons of plastic waste/year. • Microplastics pervade in the air, water, and soil of Earth and have even been found in human blood. • We need to recycle single use plastics in an energy efficient manner.

Arcticsat: A Cubesat For Canada’S North, With Canada’S North, Andrew Bowman, David Kattegatsiak, Spencer Ryznar, Layne Ransom, Shakiba Mir Ahmadi, Aref Asgari, Riley Sweeney, Ricky Gill, Vishnu Nadan, Bashar Esmail, Fatiah Balogun, Dustin Isleifson, Kiledar Singh Tomar, John Yackel, Philip Ferguson

Small Satellite Conference

Canada’s northern Inuit and Indigenous communities are experiencing climate change four times faster than the rest of the planet, impacting their traditional means of travel, hunting, and fishing. As temperatures rise, the sea ice forms later and melts earlier, allowing less time to perform these activities safely. While current satellite radiometry data can provide insight into the safety of the ice, Inuit communities require more timely and open access to this data. ArcticSat is a 3U CubeSat being co-developed with the Hamlet of Chesterfield Inlet, Nunavut, Canada, made to accomplish these goals. Community co-development ensures that community members lead the …

Development Of Optically Transparent Patch Antennas For Solar Panel Integration On Cubesats, Tyler Day, Lorenzo High, Ethan Wayland, Reyhan Baktur

Small Satellite Conference

Satellite design faces the challenge of optimizing external surface area to accommodate various components, such as solar panels, antennas, sensors, and technology demonstrations. For small satellites, solar cells occupy most of the external faces, offering little surface area for other functions. To solve this problem, researchers and developers have attempted to create an S-band patch antenna that can integrate with a solar cell, providing higher gain and maximizing solar panel power generation. The most common option is to create a meshed patch antenna on a transparent substrate, increasing optical transparency. Often, this involves using conductive ink printed onto a transparent …

Microgravity Experiment To Measure The Speed Of Sound Inside Simulated Asteroid Regolith In The Iss Environment, Sebastian J. Medina Maysonet, Amilcar Rincon-Charris

Small Satellite Conference

In impact threat assessments of planetary defense options, the aim is to understand how seismic waves travel through the debris, either modifying its shape or its surface. Seismic disturbances can destabilize loose material resting on the slope, causing downward flows. With the Microgravity Experiment for Asteroid Regolith Sound Velocity (MESSAR), it is proposed to measure the sound velocity within the simulated asteroid regolith in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station (ISS). The payload contains several granular samples of simulated asteroid regolith that will be used to measure the influence of grain size and confining pressure on the wave …

Lessons Learned From Pearl Cubesats Operation, Wei-Rong Huang, Mei-Hua Hsu, Yi-Hsuan Hsieh, Chia-Yin Feng, Hua-Ting Hung, Chi-Kuang Chao

Small Satellite Conference

PEARL (Propagation Experiment using kurz-Above-band radio in Low earth orbit) CubeSats consists of two 6U XL CubeSats, named as PEARL-1C and PEARL-1H, integrated by National Central University (NCU) and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. (Foxconn) for educational training/scientific research was launched into a sun-synchronous orbit at 520 km altitude around 1030 local time sector by SpaceX Transporter-9 rideshare mission from Vandenburg Space Force Base on 11 November 2023. On PEARL-1C, two payloads are installed: a Ka-band communication payload (KCP) is developed by Rapidtek Technologies for broadband communication experiment and a Compact Ionospheric Probe (CIP) is an all-in-one in-situ ion …

Navigating Regulatory And Ethical Hurdles With Hexsat: A Detachable Net Casting Spider-Inspired Space Debris Removal Concept, Leonor Merino Osornio, Mostafa Hassanalian

Small Satellite Conference

As the amount of space debris in orbit continues to increase, the need for methods of mitigating space debris becomes urgent. Drawing inspiration from nature, a net casting spider-inspired method of space debris removal has been proposed. This method, embodied in the HexSat design, features six separate wedges that can deploy to form a net for capturing debris. Once the target debris is captured, HexSat will intentionally reenter the atmosphere, where it will burn up. Any missions aimed at cleaning up space debris will face numerous challenges posed by international space regulations. To assess these challenges, a hypothetical scenario was …