Digital Commons Network^™

Deploying Post Quantum Cryptography On Newspace Satellites, Erik Lewerenz

Small Satellite Conference

We describe and implement a new key exchange protocol combining both Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). The protocol is designed to allow for authenticated key exchanges with a single satellite. The Triple Key Encapsulation Mechanism (KEM) protocol is designed to be secure against both classical and quantum attackers and retains its full security even if one of the two cryptographic schemes is broken. The protocol was implemented on two generations of Berlin Space Technology (BST) On Board Computers (OBC) and tested on the AFR small satellite in low earth orbit using an In Orbit Demonstrator (IOD) …

Development Of A Tool For Planning Fuel-Optimized Collision Avoidance Maneuvers, Saksham Jain

Small Satellite Conference

The need for collision avoidance maneuvers is expected to rise due to growing congestion in low-Earth orbit. This paper presents the development of a tool to automate the generation of collision avoidance maneuvers in response to conjunction events. The tool presented has allowed the Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) to eliminate concerns associated with human error, while concurrently addressing the expected increase in the need for these maneuvers without needing to impose any additional burden on flight dynamics engineers. The automation of this task has reduced the hands-on time required by over 80% when compared to the pre-existing workflow.

If the …

Space Payload For Inertial De-Spin Efficient Effects (Spidee) For Reusable On-Orbit Attachment, Kailia Crowder, David Smith, Raefa Malik, Adam Orris, Simon Lee, Victor Agüero

Small Satellite Conference

The Space Payload for Inertial De-spin Efficient Effects (SPIDEE) is an electroadhesion-based general purpose in-space attachment payload ideally suited for docking, augmentation, mobility, and in-space assembly missions that does not require pre-preparation of the attachment surface.

Built around eTAP^TM (electrical Thin Attachment Pad), SPIDEE supports missions to attach to, detumble, and provide space mobility to defunct satellites and/or rocket bodies. eTAP's low power, reusability, and flexibility make it ideal as an all-purpose attachment and docking technology for the upcoming space challenge of reducing, reusing, and recycling in-orbit debris and/or assets. eTAP adheres to virtually all materials that are used …

Decoding Customer Digital Engagement And Challenges: A Bibliometric Study, Uday Arun Bhale, Harpreet Singh Bedi, Samrat Ray, Padmavathi Pv

Management Dynamics

The rapid proliferation of digital technologies has fundamentally reshaped how businesses engage with customers, positioning customer digital engagement (CDE) as a strategic imperative across industries. Despite a surge in scholarly interest, the literature on CDE remains fragmented, with diverse definitions, measurement approaches, and conceptual frameworks. This study addresses these gaps through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on CDE published between 2010 and April 2024, using data extracted from the Scopus database. The analysis is guided by four key research questions: (1) What are the key trends and growth patterns in CDE research? (2) Who are the most influential authors, …

Analysis Of Photonic Crystal Fiber For Terahertz Applications In Optical Communications, Hiba Noori, Rasha A. Hussein, Muwafaq F. Jaddoa

Al-Bahir

This study discusses photonic crystal fibers (PCFs), a novel type of optical waveguide that performs noticeably better than traditional optical fibers and offers an extraordinary light-guiding mechanism. In this work, a porous core PCF was designed and analyzed. The fiber has a core of 360 μm diameter surrounded by four circular rings of air holes. COMSOL Multiphysics is used to simulate the suggested PCF. By altering two crucial structural components—the pitch spacing, which ranges from 165 to 175 μm, and the diameter (d), which ranges from 140 to 160 μm—the fiber behavior was investigated at frequencies ranging from 0.9 to …

The Development Of Dwts (Doppler Wind Temperature Sounder) Climatology Missions For Earth And Mars, Marcus S. Murbach, Alejandro Salas, Arwen Davé, Malachi Mooney-Rivkin, Avery Brock, Kwabena Boateng, Ali Kashani, Larry Gordley, Benjamin Marshall, Joe Gubeli, Amanda Cook, Donald Banfield, Anthony Colaprete

Small Satellite Conference

The Doppler Wind and Temperature Sounder instrument (DWTS) is a unique atmospheric instrument being developed by Global Atmospheric Technologies (GATS), NASA and NOAA. Invented by Larry Gordley/GATS, it is a mid-wave infrared camera paired with a nitrous oxide (NO) cell, which acts as a spectral filter. Wind velocities and kinetic temperatures in the stratosphere and lower thermosphere are extracted by measuring the induced Doppler shift and Doppler broadening of emissions as they pass through the DWTS field of view. Eventually, the use of 3 gas cells(N2O, CO2) would complete the complement such that 20-200km during the day or night could …

Laser Crosslink Experiment: Post-Mission Review, Sean Stanko, Dan Frey, Jose Ruvalcaba, Sean Burk, Damian Klaren, Dmitriy Obukhov, Barry Tidmore, Jason Bousquet, David Wayne, Nathan Barnwell, Galen Cauble, Kevin Book, Ben Laxton, Grant Webster, Stan Volchenok, David Sadowski, David Palmer

Small Satellite Conference

The Laser Crosslink Experiment (LaCE) was a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) microsatellite mission that flew between March 4, 2024, and May 18, 2025. LaCE was a two-CubeSat, multi-payload mission developed by Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC). Its major payloads included the CACI Skylight laser communication terminal, the ELROI optical beacon, the Vulcan CSR payload radio, and a newly developed NIWC Tracking, Telemetry, and Command (TT&C) ground operations center. Additionally, LaCE led to the development of the Stratospheric Optical Link Demonstration (SOLD) high-altitude balloon experiment, a companion mission which demonstrated the Skylight terminal in the stratosphere as a risk reduction …

Ronald E. Mcnair Scholars Program Profiles And Abstracts 2025, Mcnair Scholars Program

McNair Symposium

This publication provides research abstracts and biographies of 2025 McNair scholars and their mentors.

Ronald E. Mcnair Research Symposium Presentation Schedule 2025, Mcnair Scholars Program

McNair Symposium

This is the presentation schedule for the 23rd Undergraduate Ronald E. McNair Research Symposium 2025.

Autonomous Dual Interchangeable Robotic Arms For In-Space Servicing, Assembly, And Manufacturing, Jonathan Tindall, Michael Daher, Arin Churi, Jake Piccirillo, Anais Mera-Sarnelli, George Serra, Zach Merly, Andrew Dishchuk, Michael Madden, Christian Szczezniak

Small Satellite Conference

The expansion of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations highlights the critical need for In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) to perform novel orbital missions that reduces launch and operating costs and extends mission lifespans. Existing space robotic systems are too expensive, large, and specialized for many ISAM applications in LEO. A small-scale twin robotic arm system that features interchangeable end effectors enhances future ISAM mission capabilities. This robotic arm system leverages smaller, low-cost, arms to perform precise autonomous operations, including satellite repair, repositioning, and recovery. Initial designs and analysis show the arms to be 62% smaller in length and …

Chantsat-1: A First-Time University's Experience In Small Satellite Development, George Hitt, Jean French, Juliana Harding, Ian Hewitt, Louis Keiner, Michael Woodle

Small Satellite Conference

ChantSat-1, Coastal Carolina University (CCU) High Altitude Nadir-pointing Satellite-1, is the first smallsat mission envisioned by our primarily undergraduate university. Capacity development to support mission planning over 18 months has integrated a range of interdisciplinary stakeholders while capturing the attention and imagination of students. The mission’s primary payload will be a multispectral camera for remote sensing of South Carolina’s coastal blackwater rivers, estuaries, and adjacent ocean shelf waters. The resulting coastal habitat mosaic supports ecologically important food webs and related economic and cultural engines of regional growth, while being uniquely vulnerable to the combination of natural episodic climate-related events combined …

Hard Disk Drive Reaction Wheel System For Cubesat Architecture, Nidhi Sonwalkar, Venkata Chalamalasetty, Dionna Parina, Parishee Bajaj

Small Satellite Conference

Small satellites have become prevalent within the aerospace industry due to their ability to provide an inexpensive and easily accessible platform for technology demonstrations. Reaction wheels are typically selected for these missions’ attitude and rate control due to their small form factor. Their downside, however, is high cost, upwards of thousands of dollars, which does not align well with the low budget of many small satellites. To address this issue, alternative momentum-actuator technologies can be implemented that, similar to traditional reaction wheels, impart torques for actuation but require much less mass, volume, power, and money. This manuscript discusses the implementation …

Optical Telescope Paradigms For High-Performance Cost-Effective Smallsats, Tony Hull, Janina Krieg, Florian Gollier, Dustin Ruth, Thomas Westerhoff, Ralf Jedamsik

Small Satellite Conference

ZERODUR®’s supreme thermo-mechanical stability is enabling for high-performance telescopes, including mirror substrates and even the precision metering structure. For on-orbit high-resolution SmallSat telescopes, tight dimensional control may be passively maintained, even while experiencing continuously changing Solar and Earth thermal view factors. This stability is a vast improvement over implementation in alternate materials like aluminum. ZERODUR®’s thermal and strength characteristics are comprehensively described via ~ 100 scientific publications. Innate stability, decades of spaceborne heritage and expert machining and lightweighting from SCHOTT offers special ZERODUR® cost-effective solutions for SmallSat Telescope Design-to-Cost paradigms, even for constellation level implementation. The latest information for such …

Apophis Cratering Experiment Mission Concept, Ethan Kayser, Tyler Presser, Cristyn Merry, Matthew Givens, Kevin Walsh, Viliam Klein

Small Satellite Conference

Apophis is set to become one of the most extensively studied asteroids in history thanks to the detailed observation campaign of OSIRIS-APEX during its 2029 and 2030 extended mission to the near-Earth object, alongside Ramses which is expected to launch in 2028. To supplement those missions, we propose the Apophis Cratering Experiment (ACE), an impactor mission that leverages OSIRIS-APEX or Ramses as a dedicated observer, during and after the collision, to maximize scientific return at a low cost. In addition to providing significant science return, the mission offers a low-cost opportunity to demonstrate novel SmallSat technologies in deep …

Next-Generation Earth Observation: Agile Satellites With Cmg Cluster For Enhanced Coverage, Andrea Coco, Simon Debois

Small Satellite Conference

The rapid growth of Earth observation demands cost-effective strategies, such as integrating COTS components and accelerating deployment. A key factor in mission efficiency is spacecraft agility, which enables faster reorientation, improved target tracking, and optimized data collection. A game-changing advancement is the revival of Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs) as cost-effective, high-performance actuators. Once constrained by high costs, recent manufacturing innovations and new providers have made CMGs more accessible. With superior torque efficiency and capability, CMGs greatly enhance agility, enabling faster reorientation and improved data collection compared to conventional reaction wheels. This paper presents a comparative case study demonstrating the advantages …

Peek-Guided Neural Network Pruning For Deployment On Low Swap Hardware, Mackenzie J. Meni, Blake Gisclair, Ryan T. White, Trupti Mahendrakar

Small Satellite Conference

Deploying deep learning models onboard spacecraft is limited by strict size, weight, power (SWaP), and bandwidth constraints. Standard object detection networks like YOLO or Faster R-CNN are too computationally heavy for real-time use in space. We present a pruning framework using PEEK (Probabilistic Explanations for Entropic Knowledge extraction), an entropy-based interpretability method that pinpoints low-information layers for removal. Applied to YOLOv5 for Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking (RPOD), this approach cuts model size by up to 30% and compute cost by 25%, with only minor accuracy trade-offs—enabling faster, reliable detection on low-SWaP spacecraft platforms.

Screen Time And Objectively Measured Sleep Of U.S. College Students: A Brief Report, Donya Sedaghat, Eunkyung Lee, Jeanette Garcia, Keith Brazendale

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(4): 747-756, 2025. The objective was to investigate screen time (ST) and objectively measured sleep quality in college students. Participants were undergraduate students attending a large metropolitan public university in the southeastern U.S. Participants wore accelerometers on their wrist for 24hr/day for 14 days to capture sleep outcomes, and completed a survey reporting ST duration. Analyses explored weight-status, race/ethnicity, and sleep patterns (presence of daytime sleep) differences among students. Participants (n=29, 86% female, ~21.5 years old, 38% White, 35% Overweight/Obese) slept for an average of 433.8 minutes/night, reported 419.1 minutes of daily ST, and 112 …

From Dishes To Distributed Arrays: Towards Efficient And Interference-Free Satellite Ground Stations, Rohith Reddy Vennam, Luke Wilson, Sesha Sai Rakesh Jonnavithula, Ish Kumar Jain, Dinesh Bharadia

Small Satellite Conference

The rapid growth of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, driven by initiatives such as Starlink and Kuiper, has enabled global internet access, Earth observation, and emerging direct-to-device (D2D) applications. However, this surge in satellite deployments has outpaced the expansion of ground station infrastructure, creating a critical bottleneck for scalable and low-latency communication. Traditional ground stations, predominantly based on mechanically steered parabolic dishes, are ill-suited for tracking multiple fast-moving LEO satellites simultaneously due to latency, operational inefficiencies, and underutilized resources. While phased array antennas offer electronically steerable, multi-beam capabilities, their widespread adoption in ground stations is hindered by challenges in …

Exploring Lunar Ionosphere Characterization Through Multi-Cubesat Occultation With Ranging Technology And Radiation Environment Analysis, Yiyu Chang, Yuhsiu Tien, Chieh Lung, Jason Yu, Weichih Lin, Yihsuan Chou, Roger Tsai, Terry Chen, Yi Duann, Loren Chang

Small Satellite Conference

Characterizing the lunar ionosphere and radiation environment is critical for advancing both scientific knowledge and the practical requirements of future lunar missions. This mission proposes deploying dual satellites in lunar orbit to perform radio occultation (RO) measurements and validate the presence and behavior of the lunar ionosphere. By analyzing the phase differences of dual-frequency signals, the electron density can be measured, enabling both temporal analysis and spatial mapping of the lunar ionospheric structure. A thorough understanding of these environmental factors is essential for identifying suitable landing sites, designing resilient infrastructure, and ensuring the reliability of communication and navigation systems—key enablers …

Gram-Scale Chipsat Spacecraft For Light Sailing In Leo, Joshua Umansky-Castro, Matthew Hurford, Corbin Heywood, Grace Tang, Cameron Goddard, Jonathan Ma, Apurva Hanwadikar, Mason Peck, Andrew Filo, Alex Burke

Small Satellite Conference

Cornell University’s Alpha mission is a 1U CubeSat that deploys a retroreflective free-flying light sail in LEO. Mounted to the sail, and serving as its flight computers, are four ChipSats –gram-scale spacecraft assembled onto a single palm-sized PCB. These satellites collect and downlink data on the sail’s orbital position and attitude kinematics, communicating directly with low-cost ground stations around the globe. This paper introduces the ChipSat developed specifically for the Alpha mission launching in 2025. The new femto-satellite builds on previous-generation designs with a significant revamp of the RF communications. This paper provides an overview of the as-flown ChipSat design …

Telemetry Handling & Extensible Satellite Environment For A Unified System (Theseus) For The Operation Of Onglaisat, Shunsuke Shimomura, Kuna Shitara, Yuki Kusano, Yojiro Yamashiro, Tomoki Mochizuki, Shunichiro Nomura, Takeshi Matsumoto, Akihiro Ishikawa, Yosuke Kawabata, Satoshi Ikari, Ryu Funase, Shinichi Nakasuka

Small Satellite Conference

The recent increase in small satellites and diverse satellite missions has heightened the need for flexible and highly reliable ground station software. However, most existing open-source ground station software is implemented with the entire system in mind, making it difficult to accommodate diverse missions. Even when accommodating diverse missions, it is necessary to edit configuration files with a wide range of descriptions or make internal service modifications. Furthermore, as the number of available ground station services increases, there is an urgent need for systems that can support a wider range of interfaces. In addition, modern satellite development requires flexible support …

Csa-Xai: Channel–Spatial Attention And Explainable Ai In A Modular Multi-Backbone Framework For Lung Cancer Classification, Omar Ibrahim Obaid, Abdulbasit Alazzawi

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

Computed tomography (CT) scans require precise and early lung cancer detection to produce better clinical results. High accuracy in deep learning approaches (DL) poses an existing challenge to interpret their functionality effectively. This research presents an innovative modular multi-backbone structure that combines channel-spatial attention together with explainable AI (XAI) methods for three-class lung cancer diagnosis (Normal, Benign, and Malignant). Research was carried out to evaluate six pre-trained CNN backbones (ResNet-50, VGG19, Inception-V3, EfficientNet-B0, MobileNet-V2, DenseNet-121) which received hybrid attention enhancement on the IQ-OTH/NCCD dataset. The experimental data showed four pre-trained models reaching perfect accuracy at 100 percent whereas the others …

Class Weighting In Imbalanced Data For Leukocyte Classification Using Fine-Tuning Inception-V3, Wahyudi Setiawan, Meidya Koeshardianto, Eka Mala Sari Rochman, Aeri Rachmad, Tutut Herawan

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

This study investigates the classification of leukocyte images in an imbalanced dataset using deep learning techniques. The dataset consists of 14,514 images, categorized into five leukocyte types: basophils (301), neutrophils (8,891), lymphocytes (3,461), monocytes (795), and eosinophils (1,066). To address class imbalance, we applied class weighting alongside transfer learning and fine-tuning using the Inception-v3 architecture. The dataset was split into 80% for training and 20% for testing, and 5-fold cross-validation was conducted to evaluate model robustness. Hyperparameters were set with a learning rate of 0.0001, batch size of 32, and 30 training epochs, optimized using the Adam optimizer. Fine-tuning was …

Symmetric Toeplitz Matrices For A Class Of New Subclass Functions And Bazilevič Functions, Nihad H. Shehab, Abdul Rahman S. Juma

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

In this work, we describe and investigate a novel collection of analytic functions, including the new functions and the Bazilevič functions. An important component of analytic functions, Bazilevič functions have numerous uses in both pure and practical mathematics. For this class of functions, we concentrate on building Toeplitz matrices, examining their structural characteristics, and evaluating their eigenvalues and trends. We utilise these studies to draw sophisticated mathematical conclusions on the stability and convergence characteristics of Bazilevič functions, as well as possible uses in geometry and differential equations. This work aims to determine coefficient estimates for the functions in this family …

Classify Cancers Types Using Mirnas Profiles And Machine Learning, Wafaa Khazaal Shams

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Cancer classification is important for early diagnosis and effective treatment. This study proposes a hybrid framework that combines Fisher Discriminant analysis (FD) with Linear Support Vector Machine (LSVM) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) expression profiles for three types of cancer are used to evaluate the model. These are: lung- adenocarcinoma, ovary and pancreas cancers. The classification process is done using 5-fold cross valuation. Results show significant performance for LSTM compared to LSVM with and without features reduction. However, using FD analysis results in high accuracy reached 0.97and 0.96 for LSTM and LSVM respectively, using 50 miRNAs. The …

Architectural Optimization Of Façade Design Using Nano-Ceramic Films For Green Buildings In Baghdad’S Hot Climate, Lina M. Shaker, Wan Nor Roslam Wan Isahak, Ahmed Salih Mahdi

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

This study aims to optimize the architectural integration and energy performance of nano-ceramic window films in a three-story Baghdad commercial building having an overall area of 2,000 m². In a 40% window-to-wall ratio (WWR) and climate-responsive orientation, films were selected for solar exposure; north façade overhanging high-transmittance movies, east and west vertical fins on medium-transmittance movies, and south horizontal louvers on low-transmittance movies. Architectural strategies for daylighting, comfort, and façade appearance with low solar heat gain (SHG) were considered. MATLAB 2022 simulations evaluated energy savings, daylight transmission, and solar rejection. The most effective film (either film, HD-IR05100) achieved …

Building Better Cities With Artificial Intelligence: A Path To Sustainability And Livability, Mona Mahrous Abdel Wahed

Emirates Journal for Engineering Research

The rapid acceleration of urbanization has amplified the multifaceted challenges confronting cities in attaining sustainability and ensuring livability. Artificial Intelligence technologies stand out as transformative tools with the potential to revolutionize urban development through finding innovative solutions to urban challenges. By leveraging AI, cities can optimize resource allocation, enhance decision-making processes, and create urban environments that are both livable and environmentally sustainable. Achieving this transformation requires visionary policymakers, meticulous planning, and a commitment to ethical AI deployment. Through AI's data-driven insights, urban planners can make informed decisions that align with the complex and dynamic needs of urban areas. This research …

Using Large Language Models For Enhanced Fraud Analysis And Detection In Blockchain Based Health Insurance Claims, Ruba Islayem, Senay Gebreab, Walaa Alkhader, Ahmad Musamih, Khaled Salah, Raja Jayaraman, Muhammad Khurram Khan

Industrial Engineering: Faculty & Staff Publications

Traditional health insurance claim processing systems are plagued by inefficiencies and vulnerabilities, often resulting in significant financial losses due to fraudulent activities. Existing fraud detection methods are largely manual, time-consuming, and inadequate for handling the complexity and scale of modern fraudulent schemes. Moreover, the trust-based relationships between insurers and healthcare providers lack mechanisms to ensure data integrity and prevent manipulation. While several blockchain-based systems have been proposed to improve transparency and tamper resistance, they typically focus on structured data and predefined fraud types, offering limited adaptability and analytical insight. This paper proposes a novel solution leveraging blockchain technology and Large …

The Association Of Anxiety, Familial Dysfunction, And Child Emotion Regulation Between Family Therapy Sessions 1 And 4, Kaelie Noel Lemmon

Theses and Dissertations

Few studies address how relational factors may be interdependent and impact child-focused problems that could be collectively addressed in systemic family therapy. The current study utilized a cross-lagged panel model to explore the associations of parental anxiety, familial dysfunction, and child emotion regulation between four family therapy sessions. The study included 224 parents who sought family therapy and participated in the Marriage and Family Therapy Practice Research Network (MFT-PRN). Data were collected at two time points across four family therapy sessions. The findings indicated that higher levels of parental anxiety at intake were associated with higher familial dysfunction at session …

Male Caregiving Experience Alters Hippocampal Neuroplasticity And Transcription Independent Of Reproduction In A Biparental Species., Maria E Colt, Priyanka Agarwal, Erica R Glasper, Heidi Fisher

Faculty Research 2025

In mammals, measurable changes in brain and behavior accompany the transition to parenthood. In the biparental California mouse, Peromyscus californicus, fathers experience enhanced neuroplasticity, including increased hippocampal dendritic spine density, reduced anxiety, and improved memory. Here, we first investigate whether siring offspring or pup interaction drives structural neuroplasticity in fathers and find that hippocampal spine density is positively associated with caregiving experience, even in the absence of reproduction. Next, we evaluate the transcriptional response to caregiving in the hippocampus of these males and identify 158 differentially expressed genes between fathers and non-fathers, many of which are associated with neurogenesis, neuronal …