Digital Commons Network^™

An Exciting Future For Microbial Molecular Biology And Physiology, Andrew A Bridges, Leah Guthrie, Mckenzie Lehman, Elizabeth H Kellogg, Samantha Wellington Miranda, Andrew Pountain, Anthony L Shiver, Andrew Varble, Molecular Biology And Physiology Community Of The Council On Microbial Sciences, Heidi B Kaplan, Elizabeth A Shank, Gisela Storz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Continuous advances in technologies ranging from deep sequencing and genetic manipulation to mass spectrometry, single cell imaging, and structural biology have led to previously unimaginable advances in our understanding of microbial physiology and the molecular mechanisms underlying microbial responses in a multitude of environments. Simultaneously, these advances are revealing how much more there is to learn. At the 2024 virtual retreat of the Molecular Biology and Physiology (MBP) Community of the Council on Microbial Sciences (COMS) of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), eight early-career investigators, along with retreat attendees, discussed some of these astounding advances, as well as the …

The Impact Of Tuition Assistance On Employee Retention: Cybersecurity Employee Perceptions Of National Security Agency’S College Tuition Assistance Program, Marta I. Benitez-Guzman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. employers spend considerable sums on employee skill development, including investments in college tuition assistance programs (CTAP). Based on a review of recent literature, measuring employer return on investment can be difficult. The literature contained varying results on the effectiveness of employer-provided incentives on retention decisions and provided insufficient empirical or evaluative data on employee perceptions and the influence on retention. The purpose of this qualitative evaluative case study was to examine how cybersecurity employees at the National Security Agency (NSA) who participated in CTAP (2019–2023) perceived the program's effect on their career development and retention decisions. The theoretical framework …

Servant Leadership’S Influence On Job Satisfaction And Personal Well-Being Of Teleworking Employees, Michael Cottam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employees who suffer from telework often experience physical and psychological isolation, anxiety, loss of sleep, stressors, and burnout. The availability of digital spaces with advancements in information and communication technologies has created a trend of accepting teleworking in many job functions and industries. Managing these digital teams following the enhanced deployment of telework during the years affected by COVID-19 is a primary concern to prevent poor working conditions and deteriorating mental health for teleworking employees. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between servant leadership and job satisfaction and personal well-being of teleworking employees in …

Comparative Analysis Of Codes Of Ethical Conduct And Professionalism In Engineering And Project Management Associations, Valarie Denney, James W. Marion

Publications

This research details the similarities and differences in moral values and perspective from 15 engineering and project management association codes of conduct and professionalism. The methodology uses text mining of selected codes counting and summarizing keywords, evaluating document similarities through cosine similarity, and assessing the influence of various ethical schools of thought. Key findings reveal differences in the emphasis of core ethical values like fairness, honesty, and responsibility across different associations. This research is important for engineering and project management professionals to purposefully develop and evolve codes of ethics and professional development to enhance integrity, accountability, and ethical decision-making.

The Role Of The Poly-N Repeat In The Plasmodium Falciparum Histone Acetyltransferase Protein, Pfgcn5, Kely Johana Rubiano Cardona

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

P. falciparum possesses the most AT-rich genome sequenced to date, with long AAT repeats coding for asparagines (N) in intragenic regions. As a result, nearly a quarter of its proteome is composed of proteins with poly-N repeats. Since the discovery of its genome, the function of these repeats has remained as one of the biggest mysteries in the biology of this parasite. Furthermore, it has long been known that proteins with N-rich domains aggregate easily, particularly during heat stress (HS). Given that the hallmark of this disease is recurrent febrile episodes, it is not well understood how the parasite survives …

Mission Highlights From Deep Purple And The Pathfinder Technology Demonstrator-R, Lance Simms, Jordan Smilo, Frank Ravizza, Waswa Peter, Wim De Vries, Brian Bauman, John Ganino, Ben Bahney, Kyle Kung, Brendan Smith, Shawn Joseph, Luis Andrade, Declan King, Emily Milne, Christopher Laurent, David Mayer, Jan Stupl, Roger Hunter, John Hanson

Small Satellite Conference

Deep Purple is a satellite payload equipped with co-boresighted Ultraviolet (UV) and Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) telescopes. The payload is hosted on the 6U Pathfinder Technology Demonstrator-R (PTD-R) CubeSat. PTD-R launched on August 16, 2024, into a Sun-synchronous orbit with an altitude of 520km. After successfully exercising basic inertial and Earth-based imaging with Deep Purple, more sophisticated modes that involve tracking Resident Space Objects (RSOs) were demonstrated. This paper highlights the unique sensing capabilities of PTD-R and outlines some of the mission successes achieved over its 10-month campaign. The latter include follow-on imaging campaigns coordinated with LLNL’s other on-orbit SDA demonstration …

Prometheus-1: A Satellite Framework For Research And Educational Access To Space, Pedro Reis Andrade, Alexandre Ferreira Da Silva, Paulo R. M. Fisch, Neil Khera, Zachary Manchester, Diogo Luis, Rui M. Rocha, Rodrigo Ventura

Small Satellite Conference

In this work, we present the PROMETHEUS-1 satellite mission, a 1P PocketQube designed to validate its development pipeline, to perform onboard Machine Learning tasks on photographs taken by onboard cameras, and to evaluate its active Attitude Determination and Control System implementation. PROMETHEUS-1 was developed under a collaborative initiative involving the University of Minho (UM), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), conceived to address the current lack of a unified and streamlined infrastructure for low-cost educational satellites. The project covers the lifecycle of a satellite mission, including the development, assembly, licensing, certification, launch, and operation of a flight …

Veery, A Flat Satellite Scatterometer For Global, Hourly Refresh Of Ocean Surface Vector Winds, M. Patrick Walton, Alex R. Laraway, David G. Long

Small Satellite Conference

Care Weather is developing Veery, a small satellite scatterometer for monitoring ocean surface vector wind (OSVW) with state-of-the-art performance. Veery uses a rotating fan-beam C-band radar to provide a 1,050 km swath with 25 km resolution and more than 70% uptime. Veery’s dynamic range covers 3–27 m/s with speed errors below 1.6 m/s and directional errors below 11^°, matching the performance of previous scatterometers from a much smaller satellite. Veery’s small size is enabled by a flat satellite form factor that vertically integrates the instrument and bus. That small size makes it affordable for deployment in a constellation …

Innocube – First In-Orbit Results Of The Fully Wireless Satellite Data Bus, Tom Baumann, Erik Dilger, Sergio Montenegro, Felix Sittner, Moritz Arbab, Thomas Walter

Small Satellite Conference

The Innovative CubeSat for Education (InnoCube) mission is a technology demonstration CubeSat that relies entirely on a wireless data bus for intra satellite communication. It was launched in January 2025 onboard SpaceX Transporter-12. This paper presents the mission objectives and initial results, with a particular focus on the performance and reliability of the wireless system.

InnoCube is a collaborative project between the University of Wuerzburg and Technische Universität Berlin in Germany. Its primary objectives are to demonstrate the feasibility of a fully wireless data bus for intra-satellite communication, provide a testbed for new technologies, and offer students hands-on experience in …

The Auroral X-Ray Imager (Axis), Andrew Holland, Karen Holland, David Colebrook, Thomas Buggey, Chiaki Crews, Michael Hubbard, Colin Forsyth, William Dunn, Shyama Narendranath, Srikar Tadepalli, Anurag Tyagi, Koushal Vadodariya, Douglas Jordan

Small Satellite Conference

The interaction of the solar wind with the Earth is a subject of significant study. One phenomenon is the occurrence of aurorae at the polar regions, resulting from the interaction of particles in the solar wind with the atmosphere, often giving light shows which captures the publics’ imagination. These energetic interactions also extend to X-ray wavelengths. Whilst aurorae have been studied for generations in the visible, the X-ray emission of aurorae has only been observed by a couple of spacecraft, with a paucity of data. There are only a couple of instances of emission intensity having been measured, but without …

Launch Fast Learn Fast: Lessons Learned From The R5-S2 And R5-S4 Missions, James Berck, Sam Pedrotty, Jack Wisbiski, Morgan Alexander, Kathryn Knesek, Ruth May, Jacob Nunez-Kearny, Rob Stoddard, Thomas Kirven, Robin Onsay, Roger Hunter

Small Satellite Conference

The Realizing Rapid, Reduced-cost high-Risk Research (R5) project is pushing the envelope on minimizing cost and schedule for complex spacecraft that support low Technology Readiness Level payload demonstration in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). R5 has recently designed, built, launched, and operated multiple spacecraft that are iteratively and incrementally delivering improved payload hosting capabilities while maintaining cost targets (< $100k in materials per bus) and schedule targets (launching at least two spacecraft per year). This paper will describe the unique architecture, approach, technological advancements, and lessons learned from the project. The primary stakeholder for R5 is the Small Spacecraft Technology program within the Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA with the project based out of Johnson Space Center.

To achieve the aggressive cost and schedule targets, R5 is redefining the understanding of how much rigor, quality, and robustness are required to succeed in high-risk LEO missions. Starting with a clean-slate for process and system design, R5 has charted a path, …

Development Of Turbopump For Zero Rocket Engine, Hiroshi Tomaru, Shinnosuke Yabuki, Shota Yamanaka, Ryosuke Tomiyama

Small Satellite Conference

Flash Talk presented during the 2025 SmallSat Conference.

Expanding Cubesat Horizons: A 27u Mission To Sun-Earth L5, Tabitha Patrick, Allen Martinez, Aimee Dew, Shane Hancock, Michael Generale

Small Satellite Conference

CubeSats have gained increasing popularity in the aerospace industry due to their compact, modular designs, which offer a cost-effective and versatile solution for orbital applications. Historically limited to low Earth orbit (LEO) due to propulsion and communication constraints, CubeSats are now being explored for deeper space missions. The Icarus mission seeks to demonstrate that a 27U CubeSat can operate at the Sun–Earth Lagrange Point 5 (L5), leveraging recent advancements in efficient electric propulsion and deployable subsystems to monitor solar activity and relay data back to Earth. By capitalizing on a standardized CubeSat form factor with commercial off-the-shelf components, Icarus offers …

Using Capstone’S Mission Extension To Navigate The Future Of Cislunar Technology, Alec Forsman, Michael Caudill, Anthony Zara, Matthew Givens, Rebecca Rogers, Lauren De Moudt, Ethan Kayser, Thomas Gardner

Small Satellite Conference

Launched in late June 2022, the Cislunar Autonomous Position System Technology, Operations, and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) has been operating in the Earth-Moon, Southern L2 Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) for more than two years. After successfully completing its primary mission objectives, CAPSTONE was awarded a 15-month mission extension in September of 2024. The goal of this extension was to continue to use CAPSTONE to provide valuable and informative data to the NASA Gateway program and leverage the platform to raise the TRL of several cislunar technologies. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the operational data obtained throughout the mission, …

Debrisfind: A Cubesat Mission For Evaluating Space Debris Flux In Low Earth Orbit, Ishriak Ahmed, Imraan A. Faruque

Small Satellite Conference

Proliferation in low earth orbits, both operational satellites and defunct or debris items, poses a significant challenge to the long-term sustainability of space operations, and the difficulties in tracking and measuring mm-scale has increased the uncertainty of contemporary statistical models like the NASA Orbital Debris Engineering Model (ORDEM) and ESA MASTER and their statistical debris flux predictions. This uncertainty both complicates orbital mission risk assessment and impedes remediation efforts. This paper develops a CubeSat mission that informs these statistical models through in situ flux determination, providing a comparison of debris flux levels in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The optimum orbit …

Sardonyx: A Building Block Towards In-Space Assembly, Michael Swartwout

Small Satellite Conference

In-space assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) is an enabling capability for future space missions, and one where small satellites can play an essential role. Of the many technologies needed for ISAM, the Sardonyx mission will demonstrate two: capture of noncooperative resident space objects and close-proximity, agile maneuvering. Sardonyx is a partnership between Saint Louis University, Cambrian Works and Bennett Research Technologies.

The baseline design consists of a single 12U-scale spacecraft carrying multiple deployable Objectives. Each Objective will expand to at least a meter in diameter and be gently released. The Sardonyx spacecraft will detect the target, maneuver to within a few …

Development Of Model Predictive Control Approach For Precise De-Orbit Of Nanosatellite Using Aerodynamic Drag, Tian Xie, Takashige Suzuki, Maximilien Berthet

Small Satellite Conference

Small satellite missions in low Earth orbit (LEO) can utilize propellant-free aerodynamic drag for maneuvering, but achieving precise orbit control is challenged by non-linearities and uncertainties. This paper proposes a nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) framework designed for precise trajectory tracking under these conditions. By focusing on following a given reference path, our NMPC controller overcomes time-varying perturbations (e.g., J2, J3, J4 effects). We validated this tracking-focused approach with simulations incorporating stochastic atmospheric models. Monte Carlo analysis, using controlled de-orbiting profiles as reference trajectories, demonstrates that our NMPC system provides a powerful tool for enabling precise, propellant-free maneuvers. This work …

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 …

High Resolution, Wide Swath Sar Observation From Disksat At Vleo, Hirobumi Saito, Yasuyuki Miyazaki, Michio Takikawa, Tien M. Nguyen, Roy Nakagawa, Ching-Yao (Tony) Chang, David Hinkley, Ryo Natsuaki, Mitsuteru Kaneoka, Jiro Hirokawa, Kazuyuki Nakamura

Small Satellite Conference

This paper proposes a novel concept of quasi-two-dimensional SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellites, SAR DiskSats, featuring a deployable passive slot array antenna (De-PSAA) that can be compactly folded within the quasi-two-dimensional (Q-2D) satellite body. This Q-2D configuration allows for potential flexible solar cell sheets to be installed on the backside of the antenna, as the antennas do not dissipate heat. This satellite configuration is also suitable for stacking within a rocket fairing for the mega-constellation launch of SAR DiskSats into VLEO (very low Earth orbit). The proposed DiskSat's thin edge cross-section reduces aerodynamic drag, enabling the satellite to operate at …

Kentucky Re-Entry Probe Experiment-3: The Third Hypersonic Flight Of The Krups Capsules, Bruno Tacchi, Eric T. Adams, Alexander R. Barrera, Asa C. O'Neal, Aaron Cramer, James E. Lumpp, Savio J. Poovathingal, Alexandre Martin

Small Satellite Conference

The Kentucky Re-entry Universal Payload System (KRUPS) is a small flight capsule with dimensions of 11 by 8.5 inches and a sphere-cone geometry. KRUPS aims to serve as a cost-effective testbed for hypersonic atmospheric entry experiments, collecting thermal response and flight data during re-entry and testing novel thermal protection systems (TPS). The forebody of the capsule is fitted with an instrumented TPS containing thermocouples and pressure ports. Furthermore, the instrumentation suite contains a high-g accelerometer, a GPS, an IMU, and a spectrometer.

The KRUPS project started in 2013. Since then, the capsule has flown five sounding rocket missions, a high-altitude …

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 …

On-Orbit Validation Of An Ai-Enabled Cloud Removal And Compression Solution For Eo Satellites, Rosana Rodríguez-Bobada, Jose Manuel Heredia-Oliver, Pablo Tomás Toledano González, Carlos Espinosa-Peral, José Luis Espinosa-Aranda, Tom Hendrix, Amaury Perrocheau, David Rijlaarsdam, Aubrey Dunne

Small Satellite Conference

Optical Earth Observation (EO) sensors can be significantly affected by atmospheric conditions, particularly cloud cover, which can obscure their images and reduce the information content in the final image. It is estimated that over 50% of the Earth’s surface is covered by clouds at any given moment. As a result, up to half of the data captured by visible EO satellite imagers is rendered unusable for most applications. Transmitting this unusable data, even in a compressed form, unnecessarily utilises valuable communications downlink bandwidth. This is particularly acute for hyperspectral EO missions, where the tens to hundreds of bands per acquisition …

The Shorthorn: May 15, 1956

The Shorthorn Newspaper Collection: 1950s

No abstract provided.

Slalom: A Mission Concept For Autonomous Very Low Lunar Orbit Operations, Jeffrey S. Parker, Bradley Cheetham, Charles Cain, Ethan Kayser

Small Satellite Conference

A Sustained Low-Altitude Lunar Orbital Mission (SLALOM) maintains an orbital path very close to the surface of the Moon: passing within 1–5 kilometers of topographical peaks and maintaining an average altitude under 10 kilometers. This extremely low orbit enables high-resolution observations of the Moon but requires a new class of autonomous navigation and stationkeeping. The au-tonomous software system, ALPINE (Auto-maneuver Location Processor using Integrated Navigation Estimates), fuses real-time optical navigation data with one-way and cross-link radiometric tracking data to maintain continuous and autonomous custody of the spacecraft. This paper examines a stationkeeping strategy that maximizes surface coverage of desirable locations …

Advancing Space Weather Research With The Next-Generation Space Weather Probes, Justin Wellington, Rowan Antonuccio, Kade Howes, Benjamin Lewis, Todd Wilson, Charles Swenson

Small Satellite Conference

Accurate characterization of ionospheric conditions is essential for improving space weather forecasting and mitigating its impacts on communication, navigation, and space-based systems. Utah State University’s Center for Space Engineering has developed the second-generation Space Weather Probes (SWP2) instrumentation suite, optimized for deployment on small satellite platforms. Building upon experience from the Scintillation Prediction Observations Research Task (SPORT) mission, SWP2 integrates advanced Langmuir probes, floating potential double probes, and an RF impedance probe onto a compact, FPGA-controlled electronics module, conforming to the standard 9×9 cm CubeSat form factor. The design provides complementary diagnostic measurements of electron density, electron temperature, electric fields, …

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, …

Leopard: Demonstrating Cubesat Technologies For Light Scattering Observations And Satellite Positioning In Leo For Future University-Based Lunar Missions, Necmi Cihan Orger, Victor Hugo Schulz, Jose Rodrigo Corodova-Alarcon, Hanadi Abdalla, Mehmet Esit, Makiko Kishimoto, Sara Aziz, Mengu Cho, Minh Pham Anh, Hery Steven Mindaro, Subsinchai Ratatamanun, Enkhmend Ochirsukh, Husseinat Etti-Balogun, Kubo Shota, Jeje Kudakwashe, Thibaut Tena, Rafiki Yves Ndayishimiye, Daisuke Nakayama, Alper Sanli, Konosuke Nishinaga, Akihiro Oboshi, Edgar Mujuni, Ramson Munyaradgi Nyamakondiwa, Im Polimey, Hiroto Hidaka, Hirokazu Masui, Josue Reynel Galindo Rosales

Small Satellite Conference

The LEOPARD (Light intensity Experiment with On-orbit Positioning and satellite Ranging Demonstration) satellite is a 3-unit (3U) CubeSat platform to demonstrate several technologies and payloads in low Earth orbit (LEO) prior to future lunar CubeSat missions. After deployment from the International Space Station (ISS), it plans to perform the following missions, including onboard processing of Earth-origin one-way radio ranging signals (OPERA), multispectral imaging to monitor light scattering above the horizon (MSC), single event latch-up detection (SEL), solar panel deployment using shape memory alloy (SMA), and ambient magnetic field measurements. First, the OPERA mission will validate critical steps towards deep-space positioning …

Moral And Ethical Nature In Confucian Liang-Zhi And Islamic Fitra: Comparative Perspectives On Innate Morality, Yanrong Shi

Comparative Philosophy

This article offers a comparative philosophical analysis of Confucian liang-zhi (innate moral knowledge) and Islamic fitra(primordial nature), focusing on their accounts of innate morality and moral epistemology. Drawing on classical Confucian sources—especially the praxis-oriented interpretation of Wang Yangming—and foundational Islamic texts and commentary, the study demonstrates that both traditions posit an inborn moral faculty grounding ethical universality and responsibility. Wang Yangming’s liang-zhi is conceived as an innate moral principle that, under the imperative of zhi (to actualize or extend), is continually activated through moral practice. In parallel, fitra is understood as a God-given orientation to truth, cultivated and safeguarded through …

How Theravāda Buddhism Enriches The Language Of Thought Hypothesis: Beyond Syntax, Juanjuan Cheng, Sumanasara Sandamadulle

Comparative Philosophy

The Language of Thought Hypothesis (LOTH) posits that mental states operate through a language-like representational system physically implemented in the brain. However, this purely symbolic approach faces a significant limitation: certain mental phenomena—such as intuitions, emotions, and intentions—lack the syntactically compositional structure required by LOTH and therefore cannot be adequately explained within its symbolic framework. To address this theoretical challenge, we turn to Theravāda Buddhism (TB), an early Buddhist tradition that integrates rigorous philosophical inquiry with meditative practice. Remarkably, TB began to prefigure a solution to LOTH’s limitations over 2,300 years ago. Although LOTH and TB differ …