Digital Commons Network^™

Next-Generation Medium Lift, Nicole Jordan, Aaron Prescott

Small Satellite Conference

Northrop Grumman and Firefly Aerospace are moving rapidly to mitigate a bottleneck in launch capacity in the medium lift segment and increase launch site diversification for government and commercial satellite customers. With existing heavy-lift vehicles often booked to capacity and small-lift vehicles limited by their mass to orbit, medium-lift vehicles provide an ideal solution for affordably delivering medium payloads to LEO and beyond.

Positioned between small-lift and heavy-lift rockets, the new Eclipse™ Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV) (Figure 1) will add significant payload mass to orbit and volume beyond the capacity of the existing Northrop Grumman Antares 230+ launch vehicle. The …

Small Satellite Enabled Human Capital Development Approaches For A Space Professional Cadre, Stanley O. Kennedy Jr., Brandon "Bt" Cesul

Small Satellite Conference

The rapid growth of the commercial and government space sectors has highlighted a critical shortfall in qualified talent. Addressing these gaps requires innovative educational programs that can efficiently develop human capital without extensive resources or extended classroom requirements. This paper will explore these challenges and present solutions through a focus on Small Satellite (SmallSat) resources and lessons learned from previous attempts, as well as highlighting a number of emerging programs that are quickly helping to address this growing concern.

One promising approach is the Space Force Cadet Corps Cadet Training in Space, Cyber, and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning. This program exposes …

Launch Support: Managing Complementor Bottlenecks In The Disruptive Innovation Of Small Satellites, Yue Song, Yue Maggie Zhou

Small Satellite Conference

Small satellites represent a disruptive innovation that significantly reduces the time and cost of satellite production and launch. Despite the large number of small satellites launched today, initially, they were viewed as “second-class launch citizens,” with incumbent large-rocket companies resisting launching them. This paper examines how small-satellite manufacturers overcame this resistance before establishing their dedicated small-satellite ecosystem. We identify the adjustment costs that caused resistance from large-rocket companies and examine two specific strategies implemented by disruptors—technological standardization and forward integration—to mitigate these costs and gain support from large-rocket companies.

Small Satellite Enabled Human Capital Development Approaches For A Space Professional Cadre, Stanley O. Kennedy Jr., Brandon "Bt" Cesul

Small Satellite Conference

The rapid growth of the commercial and government space sectors has highlighted a critical shortfall in qualified talent. Addressing these gaps requires innovative educational programs that can efficiently develop human capital without extensive resources or extended classroom requirements. This paper will explore these challenges and present solutions through a focus on Small Satellite (SmallSat) resources and lessons learned from previous attempts, as well as highlighting a number of emerging programs that are quickly helping to address this growing concern.

One promising approach is the Space Force Cadet Corps Cadet Training in Space, Cyber, and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning. This program exposes …

Implementation Of The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (Moca) Tool For Early Detection Of Dementia, Nadege Djeukui

DNP and Student Works

As the population ages, the prevalence of cognitive impairment increases (Hilsabeck et al., 2024). There are about 10 million new cases reported annually, and over 55 million people worldwide are currently living with dementia, a number projected to increase to 78 million by 2030 (WHO, 2023). Dementia is a growing public health concern that is often underdiagnosed in primary care, leading to missed opportunities for early intervention, care coordination, and patient support. Early detection of dementia is crucial for timely intervention, effective care planning, and enhanced patient outcomes. Early identification of cognitive impairment is critical in improving patient outcomes, enhancing …

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) …

Novel Solutions For Cubecat Attitude Determination And Control Systems Using Pcb Magnetorquers And Low Power Control Solutions, Weston Willardson, Eero Ward, Harrison Thomas, Michael Evans, Michael Williams, Sarahi Oretga-Duran, W. Seth Nelson, David Long

Small Satellite Conference

Satellite attitude determination and control systems (ADCS) can be large, heavy, and expensive relative to a CubeSat’s size, weight, and cost requirements. We have developed a compact, low-mass, inexpensive ADCS prototype suitable for a student-class 1U CubeSat. We utilize three enabling technologies to reduce size, weight, and power (SWaP): 3-axis low-profile printed circuit board (PCB) magnetorquers, a basic sensor package, and computationally efficient control. The PCB magnetorquers are mounted on the exterior of the CubeSat frame to conserve internal volume for spacecraft electronics and payload. Attitude is determined by infrared horizon sensors and a magnetometer. The control algorithms utilize computer …

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 …

Development And Test Of Deep Learning Techniques For Stereo-Based Pose Estimation Of Small Satellites, Tim Heydrich, Becca Bonham-Carter, Apeksha Budhkar, Hugo Burd, Galen O'Shea, Luis Chavier, Adam Deslauriers, Alan Higginson, Sharanjit Virdi, Andrew Macdonald, Kaizad Raimalwala, Michele Faragalli

Small Satellite Conference

For in-orbit servicing, spacecraft must conduct a variety of tasks known as Rendezvous & Proximity Operations, Docking (RPOD). The ability to accurately and reliably estimate a target object’s pose is required to perform these tasks. In computer vision, deep learning techniques been shown to significantly outperform classical techniques. However, there are several barriers to adoption of such technologies in spaceflight, related to development and verification/validation processes, and constraints of the target flight hardware.

In this paper, we outline our approach and limited results from a recently completed project on the development and test of a neural network designed to allow …

Hardware In The Loop Simulation For Commercial Off The Shelf Sensor Qualification In Small Satellite Rendezvous And Proximity Operations, Esme Kovács, Bartłomiej Koszek

Small Satellite Conference

This paper presents a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation framework designed for the rapid evaluation and qualification of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) sensors in small satellite Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO). The proposed system supports 2U to 6U CubeSat platforms and enables subsystem-level testing by integrating a real-time mechanical simulator with a software-defined dynamic environment. The setup replicates target satellite motion using a custom 3-DOF rig driven by stepper motors and supports configurable sensor parameters, motion profiles, and automated parameter sweeps. A Microsoft Kinect v2 sensor captures RGB, IR, and depth data, enabling multi-spectral evaluation under varied illumination and material reflectivity conditions. Preliminary …

Ibis Advanced Technology For Smallsats, Johan Leijtens, Frank Stelwagen

Small Satellite Conference

For many years, ESA has been involved in attempts to develop a commercially attractive radiation hardened true digital Sunsensor. Although both Galileo Avionica (IT) (now Leonardo) and TNO (NL) developed a sensor based on standard active pixel sensors (APS) none of these products became commercially successful. Although TNO started the development of a single chip true digital Sunsensor in 2004 and a prototype was successfully tested in 2011,^{[1] [2]} the product was neither radiation hardened nor optimized for volume production. Development of this prototype into a real sensor was however never completed.

Although both a digital output and albedo …

Cubesat-Compatible Q/V Band Phased Array Antenna Design For High-Bandwidth Mmwave Inter-Satellite Communications For Scalable Leo Satellite Constellations, Lucien Hammond, Rachel Swan

Small Satellite Conference

As instruments and payloads aboard satellites increasingly demand higher data rates to fulfill scientific objectives, the shift by industry and governments toward small satellite platforms necessitates high-performance communication systems tailored to these compact designs. With the growing use cases for multi-agent satellite constellations, particularly in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), frequency band congestion remains a critical challenge. To address this spectrum scarcity and enable adaptive, inter-satellite communication for multi-agent satellite constellations, this paper explores the design of a Q/V band patch antenna array to enable adaptive beamforming, high data rate inter-satellite communication for scalable satellite constellations. The use of millimeter wave …

Sentinelcam / Sentineltrac: Leveraging An Optical System With Dual Functionality For Space Proximity Operations, Laila Kazemi, Vincent Yim, Colin Huber, Peter Schwarz

Small Satellite Conference

The growing demand for on-orbit servicing missions such as inspection, refueling, repair, and assembly has increased the need for reliable, compact, and accurate sensing systems capable of supporting Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO). This paper presents the feasibility and advantages of employing Redwire’s SentinelCAM-1 and SentinelTRAC-2 as a dual function optical system to meet the sensing and attitude determination needs of RPO missions. Both systems share a common hardware system, with SentinelCAM-1 functioning as a high-resolution flight camera and SentinelTRAC-2 serving as a star tracker for real-time spacecraft attitude estimation. The shared design enables efficient cross-cueing, simplifies sensor fusion, and …

Compact And Cost-Effective Solar Array Drive Mechanisms To Enable High-Performance Small Satellites, Benjamin Nero, Jeremy Hawke

Small Satellite Conference

To enhance spacecraft power generation, deployable solar arrays are often used to increase the surface area available for solar cells. To maximize their effectiveness, a solar array drive mechanism (SADM) can be implemented, allowing independent array rotation from the spacecraft body. This capability is particularly valuable for Earth observation and target-tracking missions, where it enables continuous power generation despite spacecraft orientation limitations. This paper presents the design, analysis, and qualification testing of two low-cost SADMs: the SolarDrive-μ for microsatellites and the SolarDrive-S for small satellites. Each SADM consists of two primary elements—the drivetrain and the twist capsule—both designed with commercial …

Roads: A Low-Cost 3u Cubesat Approach To Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, And Docking, Alexander Hickman, Ramon Blanco, Dawson Harrington, Benjamin Wilson, Pol Via Ortega, Rainer Diaz De Cerio, Ronald Fevig, Pablo De León University Of North Dakota, Mason Peck

Small Satellite Conference

The University of North Dakota’s Rendezvous & Operations for Autonomous Docking and Servicing (UND ROADS) mission will show through a flight demo that Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking (RPOD) can be accomplished by two 3U CubeSats at orders-of-magnitude lower cost and complexity than today’s benchmark missions. Instead of cameras or LiDAR, ROADS employs an inter-satellite RF link combined with carrier-phase differential GNSS (CDGNSS) to deliver centimeter-level relative navigation entirely onboard, eliminating reliance on continuous ground contact, ground processing or complex on-board sensor packages. Coupling this sensing architecture with an innovative re-configurable magnetic docking system and predictive Guidance, Navigation and Control …

Mitigation Strategies For Pattern Mismatching In Star Trackers, Melanie Phillips

Small Satellite Conference

Star tracker mismatching, although infrequent, can be detrimental to satellite operation and becomes more likely with worsened conditions including high slew rates, radiation, and stray light. Rocket Lab’s ST-16 Star Trackers use several methods to test for match validity; however, in general, there are trade-offs between matching robustness and hardware performance, and it is impractical to entirely remove the possibility of false positive returns.

To understand the types of scenarios where false positives occur, a review of existing datasets from the ST-16 was completed, and false positives were identified. The likelihood of false positive matching grows exceedingly rare as the …

Curie Power Suite: Enabling Deep Space High-Power Cubesat Exploration, Daniele Rizzieri, Cristina Erbeia, Paride Amabili, Michele Ferrarese, Paola Celesti, Andrea Bononi, Pasquale Smoraldi, Angelo Masera Ludovica Bozzoli, Stefano Bottigliero, Federico Porrà, Emilio Fazzoletto Argotec, Pablo Hernández, Simone Simonetti

Small Satellite Conference

With the development and consolidation of new space exploration solutions, new operational scenarios are enabled, and with them new challenges arise. This paper describes the design drivers, process and achieved features of the newly developed CURIE Power Conversion and Distribution Unit (PCDU), aiming at deep-space CubeSat-operated critical missions. Born from cooperation between Argotec and the Power Electronics unit of the European Space Agency (ESA), this power unit is going to be employed on the HEliospheric pioNeer for sOlar and interplanetary threats defeNce (HENON) mission by ESA and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), aiming at demonstrating new solutions for near real-time …

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 …

Periodic Test Signals For Measurement And Calibration Of Phase Modulated Signals Directly With Spectral Analysis, Brendan Hill, Nazia Mozaffar, Slawan Damman

Small Satellite Conference

Software Defined Radio (SDR) transmitters that employ digital phase modulation can have imperfections in the transmitted waveform that either distort the intended signal or introduce undesired spurious interference. In the case of zero-intermediate frequency transmission, these impairments include amplitude imbalance between the in-phase and quadrature components, quadrature skew in the vector modulator, and local oscillator feedthrough. In the case of heterodyne transmission, where the digital modulation is applied to a carrier offset before digital-to-analog conversion, an undesired image may be present at the vector modulator output. These transmitter impairments can be observed and measured directly with a vector signal analyzer …

The Atlantic Constellation Very High Resolution, A Small Satellite Approach Achieving High-Performance Optical Imagery, Henrique Candeias, Carlos Roldán, Carmen Velarde, Filipe Almeida, Francisco Miguel Ferreira, Gonçalo Aguiar, Gonçalo Correia, Henrique Santos, João Pedro Leitão, John Meyer, Lídia Nogueira, Liliana Baptista, Luis Gomes, Mónica Patrícia Moitas, Pedro Cruz, Pedro Prates, Ricardo Grosso Ferreira, Vasco Amorim, Vítor Botelho, Pedro Coelho, Patrick Silva, João Andrade, Nuno Catarino, André Oliveira

Small Satellite Conference

The Atlantic Constellation (AC) was launched politically by Portugal and Spain in 2021 as an initiative to develop an Earth Observation (EO) satellite constellation capable of delivering multispectral optical imagery at high revisit. The Constellation has evolved over time and is an anchor programme of the Portuguese National Space Strategy. It entails optical VHR satellites as well as SAR observation capabilities. Sharing the same ground and data infrastructure, the constellation will provide coverages at < 1m and images below 50 cm resolution with daily access time based on tasked imaging acquisitions. This constellation will constitute a strategic autonomy asset capable of serving a broad field of sectors, such as Defence, Maritime, Agriculture, Security and Disaster monitoring. As the leader of the VHR space segment component of the AC, and its main industrial partner, N3O faces diverse technical and programmatic challenges. The major challenge arises from the growing commercial demand for rapid access to orbit, which shortens the development and integration timelines imposed by customers. This demand leads to wider adoption for off-the-shelf components. The VHR satellites are a product of this philosophy. One of the major drivers is tailoring the mission requirements to accommodate what standard VHR payloads and small satellite platforms in the market can offer, and what their interfaces can support. Another challenge is maintaining a low orbit altitude, due to limited low thrust system and power capabilities that keep cost and complexity manageable, while ensuring the target 50 cm Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) and fulfilling the updated space debris regulation to decay within 5 years. Moreover, these commercial space products do not always follow standard processes and specifications (e.g. ECSS, MIL), making co-engineering effort and heritage knowledge key for satellite design and verification activities. Opportunities for rideshare and small satellite launch service providers are growing, together with the diverse market on Ground Stations services. Lastly, the development of dedicated in-house facilities and planning for the assembly, integration and test (AIT) phase of the VHR satellites, built from scratch, and based on space industry best practices and standards, all combine to make this one of the most ambitious space programmes ever carried out in Portugal.

A Ground System Framework For Operating Satellites In Very Low Earth Orbit, Kashyapa Naren Athreyas, Bryden Cho, Xiaohua Zhang, Wee Seng Lim

Small Satellite Conference

In the space industry, the space-segment and ground-segment work in tandem to effectively and safely control satellites, execute its intended missions, and obtain meaningful data. In recent years, the space industry has been exploring Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) for the following advantages: (a) reduced satellite traffic, (b) increased revisit frequency, (c) shorter communication distances, and (d) closer Earth observation points. However, the exponential increase in atmospheric density and gravitational forces, combined with shorter operational response times to critical events, poses significant challenges for satellite operations. While satellite design should ensure appropriate system sizing and requirements to address these issues …

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 …

Using A Software-Defined Radio Ground Station For A Small Satellite Mission, Simon Gläsner, Victoria Koßack, Mario-Rafael Ionian, Enrico Stoll, Tom Baumann

Small Satellite Conference

In January 2025, InnoCube, a 3U CubeSat was launched with the Transporter-12 mission, becoming the 31st academic satellite of TU Berlin. The technology demonstration mission is the first one at TU Berlin which uses software-defined radio to operate the satellite in the amateur UHF band. The ground station is based on software-defined radio, which has been a vital part of the development of the communication system of InnoCube. Integration into the ground segment is a logical step in the test-as-you-fly philosophy of the mission. The ground segment consists of a SDR which is paired to a power amplifier which includes …

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.

Development And Qualification Of An E Ink Thermal Control System For Tactically Responsive Satellites, Warren Su, Brian Phan, Dustin Holta

Small Satellite Conference

The United States Space Force (USSF)'s objective to establish Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) capabilities — the ability to integrate and launch a satellite within 24 hours — is hindered by the inflexible and time-consuming nature of conventional Thermal Control Systems (TCS). Current industry-standard design approach is a mission-specific process that relies on static materials with fixed thermo-optical properties, such as paints, silver teflon tapes, and multi-layer insulation blankets.

This traditional approach creates a significant bottleneck, as the development of the TCS cannot begin until a customer's payload and orbit details are confirmed. This introduces an incompressible 3-6 month lead time …

Grotifer: A Compact Three-Dimensional Electric Field Instrument Suitable For Small Spacecraft Constellations, Scott Candey, Solène Lejosne, David Auslander, John W. Bonnell, Tatsuyoshi C. Kurumiya, Neli Montalvo, David Pankow, John G. Sample, Van Shourt, Orion V, Van K. Vu, Joshua Zhou

Small Satellite Conference

Existing double probe instruments cannot make equally accurate measurements of all three components of the DC and low frequency E-field. The spin axis booms on spinning spacecraft must be much shorter than spin plane booms and the resulting uncertainty in the spin axis is usually greater than the measured value.

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.