Digital Commons Network^™

Origamisat-2: 3u Cubesat Demonstrator For Two-Layer Pop-Up Origami Deployable Membrane Reflectarray Antenna, Atsuki Ochi, Hiraku Sakamoto, Takashi Tomura, Ryosuke Sakurai, Gen Nakayama, Delburg Mitchao, Atsushi Shirane, Kenichi Okada

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented during the 2025 SmallSat Conference.

Preliminary Results For Collision Probability Predicted Using Gnss Ephemeris From Cubesats, Weichih Lin, Binson Shih-Pin Lee, Loren Chang

Small Satellite Conference

According to an ESA research report, there are now more than one million pieces of space debris larger than one centimeter in low Earth orbit (LEO) [1]. Conjunction assessment (CA) has been drawing attention in various fields. This study proposes leveraging space borne Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data, including raw pseudorange measurements, to obtain the satellite state vector and covariance for SmallSats or CubeSats. The proposed approach offers the advantage of enabling autonomous CA risk evaluations, while mitigating measurement uncertainties typically associated with ground-based radar systems. Real-time satellite state enables more accurate predictions of future collision probabilities. The COSMIC-2 …

Robot Swarm: A Test Platform For Spacecraft Formations, Colbren Fujimoto, Scott Ginoza, Yosef Ben Gershom

Small Satellite Conference

Satellite swarms are transforming space exploration by enabling cost-effective missions and distributed onboard intelligence. Precise formation control is critical for optimized data collection, collaborative sensing, and collision avoidance. NASA’s Starling mission demonstrates how scalable, autonomous swarms enable satellites to operate as a coordinated network in low Earth orbit [1]. This research project offers a practical, cost-effective platform for testing agile swarm formation control using physical robots, enabling testing and validation of formation control algorithms and evaluating their effectiveness. This project tests Interstel’s iCOSMOS-Swarm, a software platform designed for autonomous coordination of unmanned vehicle swarms. The formation includes four robots to …

Prototyping A Sparse-Aperture, Segmented, Parabolic Primary Mirror Telescope For Supersharp, Zoe O. Horvath

Small Satellite Conference

The SUPERSHARP mission concept for large, unfolding, lightweight, sparse-aperture space telescopes is inspired by the ongoing search for life in the universe [1]. The SuperSharp company is developing small-satellite versions of this concept for use in thermal infrared for Earth observation with applications in climate change research [2]. The motivation of my research is to help advance the alignment techniques and procedures of this technology for future applications in space observation at shorter wavelengths; this will be accomplished through the development and alignment of a laboratory prototype of a sparse-aperture, parabolic primary mirror telescope (see Figure 1) using the alignment …

Satellite Autonomous Launch Assembly (Satlass), Anthony Todisco Jr., Jaden Caradine, Caleb Garner, Rithika Nagarajar, Alex Brown, Hannah Robinson, Jeffrey Smothermon

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented during the 2025 SmallSat Conference.

Satellite Navigation With Earth Islands For Scope-1, S. Anand Agrawal, Brandon A. Jones

Small Satellite Conference

Spacecraft optical navigation can deliver autonomous navigation onboard when Earth-based tracking is saturated, obstructed, or impractical. Optical navigation relies on the correspondences between detected and known or mapped features in imagery to extract position and/or velocity, and data-driven methods, which directly leverage collected data to learn, can improve detection performance. This paper presents an initial data-driven Earth-based detection system using islands as landmarks for the SpaceCraft for Optical- based Position Estimation-1 (SCOPE-1) 3U CubeSat, which will be paired on board with a physics-based estimation framework. The system consists of an island detector trained on Earth observation imagery of islands, an …

Simulation-Based Evaluation Of Dual-Mode Propulsion Strategies For Small Satellite Collision Avoidance, Michael Harrigan, Charles Cundiff, Joshua L. Rovey, Victoria Coverstone

Small Satellite Conference

As Low Earth Orbit (LEO) becomes increasingly congested, small satellite missions face growing challenges in executing effective collision avoidance maneuvers under limited time and propellant constraints. Dual-mode propulsion systems, combining high-thrust chemical and high-specific impulse electric modes, offer a promising approach to balance rapid response with propellant conservation. This paper evaluates how such systems can be applied to reduce the Probability of Collision (PC) within constrained maneuver windows using sequential chemical-electric burns.

A FreeFlyer-based simulation framework models dual-mode collision avoidance maneuvers across synthetic LEO scenarios. For each case, user-defined mission parameters, such as lead time, PC threshold, and orbital altitude, …

Skyforge Core: A Triple Modular Redundant Computing Architecture For Small Satellites, Harrison Schmitt, Thomas Mcwatters, Ethan Hoyt, Josh Ellman, Sameer Sikander, Nate Westrum, Jordan Clark, Taebaeksanmaek Jung, Micah Williams, Lauren Myers, Kelden Wright, Matthew Homburg, Alex Roth, Jinran Zhang, Peter Staritz

Small Satellite Conference

As small satellite missions grow in complexity, there is increasing demand for greater onboard computational performance. Traditional radiation-hardened processors, while reliable, are expensive, slow, and suffer from long procurement timelines. In contrast, commercial off-the-shelf processors like the Raspberry Pi offer high performance at low cost but are vulnerable to radiation-induced faults such as single-event upsets. SkyForge Core is an experimental computing system that addresses this challenge by integrating three Raspberry Pi Zero W units into a triple modular redundant architecture. The system executes identical tasks on each Pi, compares outputs using majority voting, and identifies discrepancies. If a failure occurs, …

Spacenet Testbed – Small Satellite Constellation Network Emulation Of Real-World Scenarios, Suryansh Aryan, Jack Downs, Alexander Kedrowitsch, Josh Smith, Alexa Houck, Samantha P. Kenyon

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented during the 2025 SmallSat Conference.

Sustainable Satellite Servicing With 12u Cubesats: A Policy-Aware And Cost-Optimized Approach, Sneha Gayen, Nitya Jagadam, Victoria Coverstone

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented during the 2025 SmallSat Conference.

Tbearr - Tardigrade Bio-Exploration Reproduction Research Satellite, Natalie Brattain, Kylie Nager, Joshua T. Lozano, Matas Ubartas, Chloe Nissen

Small Satellite Conference

The mission aims to launch four separate cultures of tardigrades aboard a 3U CubeSat to Low Earth Orbit to study the effects of UV and cosmic radiation on their genetics and cell composition, which may, in turn, affect their reproduction cycle.

• tBEARR is a 3U CubeSat mission under development by the Embry-Riddle Orbital Research Association (ERORA), an undergraduate research club at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL.

• Critical life support systems will be developed to maintain tardigrade viability as orbital experiments are being conducted.

• Tardigrades, in their cryptobiotic state, will be exposed to space radiation and …

Testing, Verification, And Qualification Of A Self-Developed Pcdu For The Student-Built Cubesat Source, Jan Freyhardt, Silas Neumann, Kevin Waizenegger, Daniel Galla, Sabine Klinkner

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented during the 2025 SmallSat Conference.

The Occultation Wave Limb Sounder, N. Jones, R. Sewell, E. Thiemann, K. Greer

Small Satellite Conference

The Occultation Wave Limb Sounder (OWLS) is a mission designed to investigate how Earth’s thermosphere responds to atmospheric gravity waves. The dissipation of gravity waves in the thermosphere has the potential to both heat and cool the atmosphere, with published simulation results reaching conflicting conclusions on whether gravity wave heating or cooling dominates. Comprised of two instruments, the Extreme Ultraviolet Occultation Photometers (EUV-OP) and Compact Spectrograph for Occultations on the Limb (CSOL), OWLS will seek to resolve this controversy. Properties of the atmosphere will be retrieved by both instruments through solar occultations. EUV-OP will retrieve thermospheric temperatures using this technique, …

Toward Trusted Onboard Ai: Advancing Small Satellite Operations Using Reinforcement Learning, Cannon Whitney, Joseph Melville

Small Satellite Conference

A Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithm was developed for command automation onboard a 3U CubeSat. This effort focused on the implementation of macro Control Action Reinforcement Learning (CARL), a technique in which an onboard agent is provided with compiled information based on live telemetry as its observation. The agent uses this information to produce high-level actions, such as adjusting attitude to solar pointing, which are then translated into control algorithms and executed through lower-level instructions. Once trust in the onboard agent is established, real-time environmental information can be leveraged for faster response times and reduced reliance on ground control. The approach …

Utilizing Software-Defined Radio Technology In The Development And Operation Of A Backup S-Band Ground Station For The Onglaisat Cubesat, Yiyu Chang, Loran Chang, Chen-Yu Chan, Yih-Min Chen

Small Satellite Conference

The ONGLAISAT CubeSat, jointly developed by Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), the University of Tokyo, and Ark Edge Space, was launched in Q4 2024 to conduct optical remote sensing. To support downlink operations via S-band, National Central University (NCU) established a backup ground station. A complete lifecycle plan was implemented, incorporating Software Defined Radio (SDR)-based signal analysis, CCSDS-compatible telemetry visualization via WINGS, and end-to-end RF testing. Initial on-orbit signals were successfully received in Q1 2025. Doppler shift and power fluctuation analysis demonstrated system performance and operational readiness. In addition, signal comparison can serve as an alternative method for determining the satellite's …

Twistr: A Scalable, Low-Cost Microsatellite Rotation Device For Spacecraft Assembly Integration And Testing, Alex Leaf, Suraj Sridharan, Simon Grocott, Robert E. Zee

Small Satellite Conference

Increased industry demand for microsatellite missions calls for aggressive project timelines without sacrificing intricate development practices. Delivering missions at a faster pace relies strongly on both assembly processes, and ground support equipment, used through mission development cycles. Procedural challenges often arise in positioning larger spacecraft within the laboratory environment for various testing campaigns. Deployable mechanism, vibration, thermal vacuum, and electromagnetic compatibility testing often require spacecraft to be held under multiple orientations. Dual-axis rotation devices offer a means to position spacecraft in any orientation, proving a versatile spacecraft assembly, integration, and testing platform.

The development of a low-cost dual-axis rotation device …

Rosisat - The Radiation Orbital Shielding Investigation Satellite, Steven Insignares, Jacob Blanton, Colson Walker

Small Satellite Conference

• The Radiation Orbital Shielding Investigation Satellite (ROSISat) is an ongoing 1U CubeSat project designed to study the effectiveness of various materials as shielding against single-event upsets and effects on computer memory modules in Earth orbit.
• ROSISat is a student project managed under the Embry-Riddle Orbital Research Association (ERORA), a registered student organization at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
• It is one of three projects from ERORA presented at this conference, alongside tBEARR and SATLASS.
• ROSISat aims to be the first of ERORA’s projects to be launched and operational in LEO, serving to develop CubeSat flight heritage at ERAU.

Design Of A Multi-Orbit Smallsat Constellation With Edge Computing For Space Weather Monitoring And Operational Forecasting, Saranya Ravva, Sai Kiran Parre, Abeneth Ramachandran, Yukti Makkar

Small Satellite Conference

Space weather events in the 100–600 km thermosphere-ionosphere and magnetosphere impact satellites, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), aviation, and power grids^[1]. Current monitoring can be updated with sufficient spatial and temporal resolution and global coverage to meet World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standards, especially where solar activity accelerates orbital decay and radiation risks. This poster proposes addressing this with a hybrid constellation of 24 SmallSats employing advanced edge computing and multi-orbit observation, targeting operational readiness by 2032.

An Inter-Satellite Link Experiment On Pearl-1a And Pearl-1b Cubesats, Yun-Ru Chen, Wei-Rong Huang, Chi-Kuang Chao, Jen-Ming Wu

Small Satellite Conference

PEARL (Propagation Experiment using kurz-Above-band radio in Low earth orbit) -1A and PEARL-1B are two 6U XL CubeSats integrated by National Central University (NCU) are designed to perform space-to-earth and inter-satellite radio propagation channel experiments over Taiwan for educational training and scientific research. Both CubSats have the same structures and configurations. Each CubeSat will carry three payloads, an Inter-Satellite Link (ISL) payload, a Compact Ionospheric Probe (CIP), and a Perovskite Solar Cell (PSC) payload. The ISL enables over-the-horizon radio communication experiments, utilizing the Ka-band for both inter-satellite communication and space-to-ground communications. The CIP is an all-in-one in-situ ion sensor developed …

Physical Implementation Of Sprint (Space-Based Prioritized Real-Time Inter-Satellite Network Technology), Maleeha Altaf, Dalia Ammar Khodja, Ryan Adams, Sreejith Vidhyadharan Nair, Ronald Fevig

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented during the 2025 SmallSat Conference.

Korucusat: A Student-Led Cubesat Mission Investigating Solar-Ionospheric Interactions And Promoting Stem Education, Tejash Gupta, Karthik Kuppuswamy, Zhaoheng Li, Eesa Abdulraouf, Cyrus Khabbaz

Small Satellite Conference

The Astronomy Society of Fulton Science Academy (ASFSA) is developing KorucuSAT, a 3U CubeSat designed to both inspire K–12 students through hands-on aerospace education and investigate how soft X-ray solar radiation impacts the Earth's F2 ionospheric layer. The satellite carries a Langmuir probe, three-axis magnetometer, and soft X-ray detector to correlate solar radiation with plasma parameters and geomagnetic activity, data critical to understanding disruptions in GNSS, HF communication, and radar systems. In parallel with its science goals, KorucuSAT is a platform for educational outreach, including classroom workshops, MIT Beaver Works curriculum integration, and a FlatSat-based Python coding challenge. The mission …

Passively Deployed Pcm Radiator Panels For Cubesat Thermal Management, Joshua H. Taylor, Anthony Lococo, R. B. Mulford, B. D. Iverson

Small Satellite Conference

This work presents a passive actuation approach for internally stored fins equipped with a phase change material (PCM), enabling a dynamic response to waste heat loads and environmental conditions. The fins can achieve semi-deployed or fully deployed positions. The radiator system absorbs heat from the CubeSat and rejects it into the environment. Modeling progress in Thermal Desktop is presented, with emphasis on lessons learned from transient actuation simulations and PCM performance.

Lessons Learned In Establishing Student-Led Satellite Operations, Shirish Pandam, Avery Barriga, John Connolly, Helen Reed

Small Satellite Conference

AggieSat6 (AGS6) is a 6U CubeSat designed and developed by students at Texas A&M University through the University Nanosatellite Program (NS-10) cycle. Its mission demonstrates a space-based RF array for Space Domain Awareness and collects low-energy electron radiation data to improve existing models.

Students lead all in-flight operations, gaining hands-on experience in mission control experience. Key challenges include interface development, maintaining system knowledge, and mitigating the effects of frequent student turnover.

The University Of South Carolina's Journey To The Launchpad, Patrick Bailey, Wout De Backer

Small Satellite Conference

A student team at the University of South Carolina is currently working to address the state’s needs for astronautics to both students and to the economy through collaborative efforts with other state institutions. This paper intends to cover the mission concept formulation, areas of beneficial technology development in space, and mission objectives that are to be accomplished for both human and technical capabilities within the state throughout the mission duration. The mission concept covers using 3D printing in space for on-orbit manufacturing capabilities, and the need for development of a computer vision algorithm and system for small space debris detection. …

Two-Way Shape Memory Alloy Heat Pipes For Passive Radiator Actuation, Josh Cannon, Ethan Brown, Barry Creighton, Matthew Linnell, Othmane Benafan, Rydge Mulford, Brian Iverson

Small Satellite Conference

When passively actuated in response to changes in CubeSat temperature, deployable radiators are capable of thermal regulation without the need for an electrical control system. However, these radiators face challenges in the transfer of heat from the CubeSat interior to the deployed radiator panel. In this work, we explore an approach that provides passive radiator actuation and efficient thermal transfer by combining a Two-Way Shape Memory Alloy actuator with an integrated heat pipe. Preliminary work focuses on the characterization of the Two-Way Shape Memory Effect (TWSME) in bending of Nitinol rods and tubes of varying outer diameters.

The Little Uv Camera: Customizable Imaging Platform For Space-Based Astronomy, Coby Silayan, Suresh Sivanandam, Aaron Tohuvavohu, Albert Lau, Mark Barnet, Patrick Nkwari, Shaojie Chen, Gavin Hay, J.C. Fronteddu, Norbert Werner, Andras Pal, Marianna Dafčíková

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented during the 2025 SmallSat Conference.

Tracking The Unseen: Identifying Leo Satellite Interference For Radio Astronomy, Sarah Tanveer, Olivia D’Souza, Ali Abedi, Bhuvana Krishnaswamy, Suman Banerjee, Frank Lind, Mary Knapp, Samuel The, Daniel Sheen

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented during the 2025 SmallSat Conference.

Drift: Dynamic Routing For Inter-Satellite Fault Tolerance, Madhav Kapa, David Uniack

Small Satellite Conference

The Dynamic Relay for Inter-satellite Fault Tolerance (DRIFT) framework consists of a radio protocol to provide a low data rate, high link margin, and low SWaP-C (Size, Weight, Power, and Cost) crosslink and up/downlink communications. The DRIFT framework is the feature being developed as a part of The PROVES CubeSat Cluster, which has, to date launched seven university CubeSats as a means of developing and providing flight heritage for various low-cost open-source CubeSat platforms.

The primary motivator for developing this system has been in pursuit of interoperability between the multiple unique satellite and ground station solutions that exist across the …

Application Of Lambert’S Problem To An Electromagnetic Docking Maneuver, Amber Diaz, Steve Stochaj

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented during the 2025 SmallSat Conference.

Development Of 6u Cubesat Vertecs Utilizing The Birds Bus System, Yukihisa Otani, Jose Rodrigo Cordova-Alarcon, Victor Hugo Schulz, Ryo Hashimoto, Kei Sano, Takao Nakagawa

Small Satellite Conference

Poster presented during the 2025 SmallSat Conference.