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Cost-Effective Earth Observation Missions Outcomes And Visions From The International Iaa Study , Rainer Sandau, Larry Paxton, Jaime Esper
Cost-Effective Earth Observation Missions Outcomes And Visions From The International Iaa Study , Rainer Sandau, Larry Paxton, Jaime Esper
Small Satellite Conference
Cost-effective Earth observation missions – how can they be achieved, what are the cost drivers, what are the application areas, and what are the possible obstacles and how are they surmounted? A recently published study1,2 provides a single reference of all aspects connected with cost-effective missions. This paper concentrates on some of the outcomes of that study. User communities which start to conduct or participate in Earth observation missions using small, economical satellites, and associated launches, ground stations, data distributions structures, and space system management approaches are likely to find this information useful.
The Rise And Fall Of The Capital Asset – An Investigation Into The Aerospace Industry Dynamics And Emerging Small Satellite Missions , Stanley Kennedy, Jr., Todd Mosher, Quinn Young
The Rise And Fall Of The Capital Asset – An Investigation Into The Aerospace Industry Dynamics And Emerging Small Satellite Missions , Stanley Kennedy, Jr., Todd Mosher, Quinn Young
Small Satellite Conference
Many studies have been conducted over the years on the relationship between spacecraft design, mission utility, cost/complexity, and the Aerospace community’s ability to “commoditize” spacecraft designs and/or missions. During the Fifties and Sixties, spacecraft were limited by launch vehicle throw-weight and technical performance limitations, particularly computer processing speeds. During the Seventies and into the Eighties the personal computer revolution enabled more and more processing capability to be utilized in spacecraft bus and mission designs. This resulted in industry developed, large, “Capital” assets that took years to design, develop, integrate, test, and eventually operate. These systems, due to the very nature …
The "Personal Computer" Revolution In Space, Martin Sweeting, Alex Da Silva Curiel, Wei Sun
The "Personal Computer" Revolution In Space, Martin Sweeting, Alex Da Silva Curiel, Wei Sun
Small Satellite Conference
The modular microsatellite concept developed by SSTL has been remarkably successful. It has been used on over 25 missions in the last two decades for a wide range of applications and customers. Its design philosophies are discussed, which have permitted the design to evolve over time, and in particular has permitted space missions to benefit quickly from the continuing development of emerging terrestrial commercial-off-the-shelf technologies. Breakthrough technologies are discussed which have led to increases in capability and utility of small satellite missions. Furthermore, it will be shown that the execution of frequent missions brings its own benefits in providing a …
Lunette: Lunar Farside Gravity Mapping By Nanosat, Henry Spencer, Kieran Carroll, Jafar Arkani-Hamed, Robert Zee
Lunette: Lunar Farside Gravity Mapping By Nanosat, Henry Spencer, Kieran Carroll, Jafar Arkani-Hamed, Robert Zee
Small Satellite Conference
One significant item of unfinished business in lunar exploration is the mapping of the Moon’s notoriously-irregular gravitational field. This is of interest to science because it sheds light on the lunar interior, to exploration because it may help find useful resources, and to engineers because it is important for planning and operating missions in lunar orbit. Past mapping efforts have been severely hampered by the impossibility of Earthbased tracking of spacecraft over the lunar farside; the farside parts of the resulting maps are of questionable reliability. Many lunar-orbiter proposals have envisioned solving this with subsatellites, but none has yet flown. …
Small Satellite Mars Missions Using Electric Propulsion, Me Price, Ns Wells, Aj Ball, Jc Zarnecki, Fw Taylor
Small Satellite Mars Missions Using Electric Propulsion, Me Price, Ns Wells, Aj Ball, Jc Zarnecki, Fw Taylor
Small Satellite Conference
Two small satellite concepts are presented for low cost Mars system exploration. Both concepts use solar electric propulsion (SEP) to move from a low velocity Earth escape orbit to captured Mars orbits, and so are able to make use of smaller launcher vehicles, while still providing significant payload accommodation, despite their small size. Both missions achieve their Mars system operational orbits in less than 20 months from launch. The Mars Global Atmosphere Survey (MGAS) mission design has a launch mass of 120kg. It uses a QinetiQ T5 ion engine, with around 24kg of Xe propellant, which provides sufficient ÄV for …
Preliminary Design Of A Very-Low-Thrust Geostationary Transfer Orbit To Sun-Synchronous Orbit Small Satellite Transfer, Chris Rampersad
Preliminary Design Of A Very-Low-Thrust Geostationary Transfer Orbit To Sun-Synchronous Orbit Small Satellite Transfer, Chris Rampersad
Small Satellite Conference
Small satellites have proven their viability for conducting meaningful missions at a fraction of the cost of larger satellites. Correspondingly, the demand for small satellite missions is increasing as is the need for more sophisticated low-cost satellites. To enable these more advanced missions, this paper analyzes the feasibility of using a low-thrust propulsion system to transfer to a mission orbit from a readily available launch opportunity. Speci¯cally, a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) launch to a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) small satellite trajectory is examined. The transfer from GTO to SSO orbit is designed using a direct optimization method. Due to the …
A Solar Kite Mission To Study The Earth's Magneto-Tail, V. Lappas, B. Wie, C. Mcinnes, L. Tarabini, L. Gomes, K. Wallace
A Solar Kite Mission To Study The Earth's Magneto-Tail, V. Lappas, B. Wie, C. Mcinnes, L. Tarabini, L. Gomes, K. Wallace
Small Satellite Conference
Solar sails have been studied in the past as an alternative means of propulsion for spacecraft. Recent advances in solar sail technology and the miniaturisation of technology can drive these systems much smaller (< 5 kg mass, < 10 m sail diameter) than existing sails, while still having a high delta-V and acceleration capability. With these unique capabilities of miniature solar sails, called solar kites, some very unique space science missions can be achieved which are difficult to be implemented using conventional propulsion techniques. One such unique candidate mission is to study the Earth's magneto-tail. The paper lays out the main design features and technologies of a solar kite mission/platform and demonstrates that a cluster of solar kites with science payloads can provide multiple, in-situ measurements of the dynamic evolution of energetic particle distributions of the rotating geomagnetic tail of Earth. With a unique design, a solar kite proves to be an efficient, affordable and versatile solution for the mission analysed with a significant science return.
Arc-Minute Nanosatellite Attitude Control: Enabling Technology For The Brite Stellar Photometry Mission, Kieran Carroll, Slavek Rucinski, Robert Zee
Arc-Minute Nanosatellite Attitude Control: Enabling Technology For The Brite Stellar Photometry Mission, Kieran Carroll, Slavek Rucinski, Robert Zee
Small Satellite Conference
The BRIght-star Target Explorer (BRITE) mission plans to make photometric observations of some of the brightest stars in the sky, which are also among the intrinsically most luminous stars, in order to examine these stars for variability with a precision at least 10 times better than that achievable using ground-based observations. Because of the brightness of the target stars, a very small (3cm) aperture telescope collecting light for a camera equipped with a CMOS detector will suffice. The small aperture size and low power consumption of the CMOS detector are compatible with nanosatellite size and power constraints, and so BRITE …
Simone: Interplanetary Microsatellites For Neo Rendezvous Missions, Roger Walker, Nigel Wells, Simon Green, Andrew Ball
Simone: Interplanetary Microsatellites For Neo Rendezvous Missions, Roger Walker, Nigel Wells, Simon Green, Andrew Ball
Small Satellite Conference
The paper summarises a novel mission concept called SIMONE (Smallsat Intercept Missions to Objects Near Earth), whereby a fleet of microsatellites may be deployed to individually rendezvous with a number of Near Earth Objects (NEOs), at very low cost. The mission enables, for the first time, the diverse properties of a range of spectral and physical type NEOs to be determined. Such data are invaluable in the NEO scientific, impact damage prediction, and impact countermeasure planning contexts. The five identical 120kg spacecraft are designed for low-cost piggyback launch on the Ariane-5 into GTO, from where each uses a high specific …
Mars Scouts: An Overview, Steve Matousek
Mars Scouts: An Overview, Steve Matousek
Small Satellite Conference
The Mars Program institutes the Mars Scout Missions in order to address science goals in the program not otherwise covered in the baseline Mars plan. Mars Scout missions will be Principal-Investigator (PI) led science missions. Analogous to the Discovery Program, PI led investigations optimize the use of limited resources to accomplish the best focused science and allow the flexibility to quickly respond to discoveries at Mars. Scout missions also require unique investments in technology and reliance upon Mars-based infrastructure such as telecomm relay orbiters.
Highlights Of Nanosatellite Propulsion Development Program At Nasa-Goddard Space Flight Center , M.S. Rhee, C.M. Zakrzwski, M.A. Thomas
Highlights Of Nanosatellite Propulsion Development Program At Nasa-Goddard Space Flight Center , M.S. Rhee, C.M. Zakrzwski, M.A. Thomas
Small Satellite Conference
Currently the GN&C’s Propulsion Branch of the NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is conducting a broad technology development program for propulsion devices that are ideally suited for nanosatellite missions. The goal of our program is to develop nanosatellite propulsion systems that can be flight qualified in a few years and flown in support of nanosatellite missions. The miniature cold gas thruster technology, the first product from the GSFC’s propulsion component technology development program, will be flown on the upcoming ST-5 mission in 2003. The ST-5 mission is designed to validate various nanosatellite technologies in all major subsystem areas. It …
Prototype Development Of A Solid Propellant Rocket Motor And An Electronic Safing And Arming Device For Nanosatellite (Nanosat) Missions, W.L. Boughers, C.E. Carr, R.A. Rauscher, W.J. Slade
Prototype Development Of A Solid Propellant Rocket Motor And An Electronic Safing And Arming Device For Nanosatellite (Nanosat) Missions, W.L. Boughers, C.E. Carr, R.A. Rauscher, W.J. Slade
Small Satellite Conference
Recently, there has been an increased interest in using nanosatellites in space science missions due to many unique science mission architectures that are only possible with a nanosatellite constellation. Hundreds of small and lightweight nanosatellites can form an intelligent constellation acting as a distributed network of instruments. In this way, measurements can be obtained that are not possible with traditional single spacecraft architectures. Such a constellation could take simultaneous, in situ measurements of dynamic phenomena in the Earth’s magnetosphere. This type of data is considered to be a critical element in the NASA Sun-Earth Connection (SEC) roadmap. Currently, the SEC …
Low Cost Planetary Exploration: Surrey Lunar Minisatellite And Interplanetary Platform Missions , Susan Jason, Jeff Ward, Alex Da Silva Curiel, Andy Phipps, Luis Gomes, Martin Sweeting
Low Cost Planetary Exploration: Surrey Lunar Minisatellite And Interplanetary Platform Missions , Susan Jason, Jeff Ward, Alex Da Silva Curiel, Andy Phipps, Luis Gomes, Martin Sweeting
Small Satellite Conference
In order to meet the growing global requirement for affordable missions beyond Low Earth Orbit, two types of platform are under design at the Surrey Space Centre. The first platform is a derivative of Surrey’s UoSAT-12 minisatellite, launched in April 1999 and operating successfully in-orbit. The minisatellite has been modified to accommodate a propulsion system capable of delivering up to 1700 m/s delta-V, enabling it to support a wide range of very low cost missions to LaGrange points, Near-Earth Objects, and the Moon. A mission to the Moon - dubbed “MoonShine” - is proposed as the first demonstration of the …
Bird - A Microsatellite For Hot Spot Detection, I. Waiter, K. Brieß, B. Heym, W. Bärwald, F. Lura, H. Studemund
Bird - A Microsatellite For Hot Spot Detection, I. Waiter, K. Brieß, B. Heym, W. Bärwald, F. Lura, H. Studemund
Small Satellite Conference
The BIRD mission of the German Aerospace Centre shall demonstrate the scientific and technological value and the technical and programmatic feasibility of a remote sensing small satellite mission under low budget constraints. The payload -a new generation of cooled infrared detectors- is adapted to the mission objective - the investigation of hot spots caused by forest fires or volcanic activities completed by the diagnosis of vegetation conditions and changes. BIRD -the Bispectral Infra-Red Detector- is a three-axis stabilised spacecraft within a volume of 0.21 m3 and a mass of 88 kg. In flight configuration with one fixed and two deployed …
Microsats For Environmental Monitoring - And Some Current Canadian Initiatives, Ron Buckingham
Microsats For Environmental Monitoring - And Some Current Canadian Initiatives, Ron Buckingham
Small Satellite Conference
This paper examines the usefulness of microsats for environmental monitoring. It is based in part on a study done by Routes Incorporated for the Canadian Space Agency in 1995, plus more recent information. We define microsats and their instruments as missions whose overall payload, platform, launch, ground segment and operations costs is within a $2M to $ 10M range. The paper describes several types of environmental atmospheric and earth surface monitoring task that could be achieved with microsats, e.g. observation of atmospheric phenomena such as polar stratospheric clouds, gravity waves and ozone profiles. Compact, simple, low-cost imaging spectrographs are candidates …
Program Concept Of "Project Hyper-Sat", Tatsuhito Fujita, Takeshi Sasaki, Yusuke Matsumura, Yasuhiro Takami, Yasuhiro Kawada
Program Concept Of "Project Hyper-Sat", Tatsuhito Fujita, Takeshi Sasaki, Yusuke Matsumura, Yasuhiro Takami, Yasuhiro Kawada
Small Satellite Conference
Project Hyper-Sat is the development program of the advanced technology applied to new generation satellite, especially small and high performance satellite. This program goes ahead with the development of the advanced technology in the wide area from parts level to satellite system level, and aims at the realization of new missions which fit this hyper type of satellite early in the 21th century. We have surveyed the new technology which become the objects of Project Hyper-Sat, and extracted the technology which are essential for the achievement of assumed missions. This paper presents the result of the survey of new technology, …
Small Satellites And Noaa: A Technology Study, R.K. Raney, G.H. Fountain, E.J. Hoffman, P.F. Bythrow, R.H. Maurer
Small Satellites And Noaa: A Technology Study, R.K. Raney, G.H. Fountain, E.J. Hoffman, P.F. Bythrow, R.H. Maurer
Small Satellite Conference
APL examined technology and space segment options for the polar orbiting spacecraft of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The principal finding is that the choice of satellite configuration, rather than the particular technology of flight hardware, is the dominant factor that can reduce space segment costs when viewed over a mission life-cycle. For example, the study shows that fewer than half the number of individual instruments-- many of which are quite expensive-- need be purchased and launched over a 15 year period if each of NOAA's polar orbiting satellites were implemented as four small spacecraft rather than one …
Advanced Propulsion Benefits To New Millennium Class Missions, Leonard Dudzinski, Roger Myers
Advanced Propulsion Benefits To New Millennium Class Missions, Leonard Dudzinski, Roger Myers
Small Satellite Conference
With NASA's current emphasis on a smaller, better, faster approach to planetary exploration, a new class of mission has been proposed called New Millennium. This class of mission encompasses solar system science that can be done with scientific payloads ranging from 10kg to 50kg, and launched on Med-Lite or smaller expendable launch vehicles (ELVs). The Advanced Space Analysis Office and the Space Propulsion Technology Division at NASA Lewis Research Center performed a study to assess the ability of advanced space propulsion technologies to enable challenging New Millennium mission to the solar system that would not be possible with existing chemical …
Pulsed Plasma Thruster Technology For Small Satellite Missions, Roger Myers, Steven Oleson, Melissa Mcguire, Nicole Meckel, Joseph Cassady
Pulsed Plasma Thruster Technology For Small Satellite Missions, Roger Myers, Steven Oleson, Melissa Mcguire, Nicole Meckel, Joseph Cassady
Small Satellite Conference
Pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs) offer the combined benefits of extremely low average electric power requirements (1 to 150 W), high specific impulse (~ 1000 s), and system simplicity derived from the use of an inert solid propellant. Potential applications range from orbit insertion and maintenance of small satellites to attitude control for large geostationary communications satellites. While PPTs have been used operationally on several spacecraft, there has been no new PPT technology development since the early 1970's. As a result of the rapid growth in the small satellite community and the broad range of PPT applications, NASA has initiated a …
Small Deep Space Mission Telecommunications, G.K. Noreen, A.L. Riley, V.M. Pollmeier
Small Deep Space Mission Telecommunications, G.K. Noreen, A.L. Riley, V.M. Pollmeier
Small Satellite Conference
Unique requirements imposed on deep space telecommunications, such as operation at extreme ranges, have historically led to high cost, one-of-a-kind spacecraft telecommunications systems. Yet future deep space missions must fit within severe cost, mass and power constraints. JPL recently completed a study to find ways of reducing telecommunications cost for future deep space missions. Study team members surveyed designers of proposed deep space missions to characterize their telecommunications needs and design constraints. They identified and evaluated alternative telecommunications systems architectures capable of satisfying these needs and constraints. They traded spacecraft capabilities against DSN capabilities to determine optimal flight/ground combinations. The …
Chemical And Electric Propulsion Options For Small Satellites, Roger Myers, Steven Oleson, Francis Currant, Steven Schneider
Chemical And Electric Propulsion Options For Small Satellites, Roger Myers, Steven Oleson, Francis Currant, Steven Schneider
Small Satellite Conference
Advanced chemical and low power electric propulsion systems offer attractive options for near-term small satellite propulsion. Applications include orbit raising, orbit maintenance, attitude control, repositioning, and deorbit of both Earth-space and planetary spacecraft. Potential propulsion technologies for these functions include high pressure Ir/Re bipropellant engines, very low power arcjets, Hall thrusters, and pulsed plasma thrusters, all of which have been shown to operate in manners consistent with currently planned small satellites. The broad range of small satellite missions, capabilities, and constraints dictates that multiple technologies be considered for these spacecraft. Arcjets, Hall thrusters, and pulsed plasma thrusters have been used …
The Peacekeeper Post Boost Vehicle For Civil Space Applications, Paul Phillips, Stephen Hoffman, James Moore
The Peacekeeper Post Boost Vehicle For Civil Space Applications, Paul Phillips, Stephen Hoffman, James Moore
Small Satellite Conference
Ownership of several Peacekeeper fourth stages has been transferred from the USAF to NASA for use in the civil space program. The production of Peacekeeper missiles was discontinued although several of the fourth stages known as Post Boost Vehicles or PBV's were in production and in various stages of completion. This paper examines the potential use of these PBV's for small civil space missions, especially Discovery class missions. Several configurations of the PBV with small interplanetary missions are examined. The delivered configuration of the PBV is described along with modifications necessary to make them flight ready. This paper examines the …
To The Moon From A B-52: Robotic Lunar Exploration Using The Pegasus Winged Rocket And Ballistic Lunar Capture, Edward Belbruno, Rex Ridenoure, Jaime Fernandez
To The Moon From A B-52: Robotic Lunar Exploration Using The Pegasus Winged Rocket And Ballistic Lunar Capture, Edward Belbruno, Rex Ridenoure, Jaime Fernandez
Small Satellite Conference
A subset of the presently-defined NASA robotic lunar exploration objectives may be achievable with a new mission architecture involving the Pegasus winged rocket, small satellites, and a new class of Earth-Moon trajectories incorporating ballistic lunar capture. Enabling this potentially low-cost method of lunar exploration - perhaps for a few tens of millions of dollars per mission - is the application of the Weak Stability Boundary Theory developed by Belbruno during 1987-89, which leads to ballistic ("maneuverless") Earth-Moon trajectories. On such a path, a spacecraft could be orbited at the Moon for little additional ∆ V (< 50 m/s for minor trajectory correction maneuvers) beyond that supplied by the Pegasus for the initial Earth departure burn, resulting in a significant propellant savings. (Additional maneuvers would then be required to establish a more useful lunar orbit.) The price for this savings is an extended trip time to the Moon of 3-5 months. This type of trajectory is presently being demonstrated for the first time by the Japanese Hiten spacecraft, using an …
Auroral Cluster: A Space Physics Mission For Multiple, Electronically Tethered Small Satellites, J.P. Andrews, J.R. Scherrer, J.H. Waite, J.L. Burch
Auroral Cluster: A Space Physics Mission For Multiple, Electronically Tethered Small Satellites, J.P. Andrews, J.R. Scherrer, J.H. Waite, J.L. Burch
Small Satellite Conference
Auroral Cluster is a space physics mission that has been identified by the NASA Space Physics Strategic Implementation Study as a candidate for flight in the next decade. Auroral Cluster will employ multiple spacecraft outfitted with similar complements of science instruments allowing simultaneous multipoint plasma measurements in the Earth's auroral regions. Co-orbiting small satellites (mass < 400 kg each) that are electronically "tethered" to share distributed spacecraft systems represent an efficient approach for achieving the science goals of the Auroral Cluster mission. Multisatellite missions represent a new trend in gathering space science data and pose many new and difficult challenges for the space systems engineer. The results of an Auroral Cluster feasibility study, which discusses a variety of mission trade-offs, are presented. A discussion of the science background and mission goals is used to identify the technical drivers for the design of the multiple spacecraft system. A mission plan and some considerations for a Auroral Cluster satellite design are presented. Special consideration is given to the spacecraft subsystems that will allow the system to be operated as a network of electronically tethered interdependent small satellites. These subsystems include attitude determination, spatial separation knowledge and control, data storage, and intersatellite communication.
Design Of An Electrically-Propelled Asteroid Rendezvous Probe Launched As A Secondary Payload, Ralph Lorenz
Design Of An Electrically-Propelled Asteroid Rendezvous Probe Launched As A Secondary Payload, Ralph Lorenz
Small Satellite Conference
This paper summarises a design study undertaken as a final year project for the author’s B.Eng in Aerospace Systems Engineering. A spacecraft design is outlined for a vehicle to perform a rendezvous with a near earth asteroid after being launched as a secondary payload into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. The 380 kg (dry) spacecraft would use a bipropellant chemical propulsion system to manoeuvre in, and escape from Earth orbit. Interplanetary maneuvering would be accomplished with an ion propulsion system.
Small Satellite Design For Inner Solar System Exploration, Walter Daniel, Commander Vernon Gordon
Small Satellite Design For Inner Solar System Exploration, Walter Daniel, Commander Vernon Gordon
Small Satellite Conference
This paper describes a study that examined using the Pegasus launch vehicle and small spacecraft for missions to the atmospheres of Venus and Mars. The launch vehicle can deliver approximately 820 lb (371.9 kg) into a 0° inclination circular orbit of 200 nm (370.4 km) altitude. With convential solid propellant rocket motors, a spacecraft of 73.8 kg (162.7 lb) would be delivered to Venus or Mars. A spacecraft using a currently existing 10 kW xenon-ion engine system with specific impulse of 3500 sec would deliver 143.4 kg (316.2 lb) to Venus or Mars. The spacecraft can fit inside the Pegasus …
An Approach To The Design Of A Lightweight Lunar Spacecraft, G.E. Sevaston, D.H. Lehman, K.T. Nock
An Approach To The Design Of A Lightweight Lunar Spacecraft, G.E. Sevaston, D.H. Lehman, K.T. Nock
Small Satellite Conference
The Quicksat study, undertaken at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), had as its goal the development of low mass, low cost spacecraft that can be implemented within a relatively short time span. As part of this effort, JPL studied a lunar mission referred to as Lunar Prospector (LP). The LP spacecraft carries a spare Apollo gamma ray spectrometer (GRS) in a 100 km polar orbit about the moon in order to obtain a global map of surface composition. The primary mission objective is to search for water in the form of ice trapped within polar craters; this is viewed as …
The Uosat Spacecraft Programme, M. N. Sweeting
The Uosat Spacecraft Programme, M. N. Sweeting
Small Satellite Conference
Spacecraft-designed, built and operated by traditional means-have proved extremely costly, thus limiting access to space to large organizations work within enormous budgets. The Amateur Satellite Service, over a period of 20 years, has demonstrated that small spacecraft can be built very inexpensively, and as a low-cost stimulus to technology. The UoSAT Programme at the University of Surrey (UK) has developed highly sophisticated yet inexpensive small satellites through adopting imaginative, cost effective spacecraft engineering techniques. Two UoSAT spacecraft, UoSAT 1 & 2, have been in orbit since 1981 and 1984 respectively supporting active space engineering research, space science and space education …