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International Space Station (ISS) => In-Space Hardware Section => Topic started by: TrevorMonty on 07/09/2014 10:04 am

Title: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/09/2014 10:04 am
What has surprised me is the lack of CubeSat and NanoSat threads so I thought it was about time to address this.
Plan is keep it something like the 3D printing threads where members post interesting links and keep the discussions to minimum or better still create discussion thread and maybe mission one. Please don't SpaceX this thread.

Cubesats make great test beds for new technologies some of which will work there way up into larger space craft.

Up to now cubesats have been legless and restricted to LEO, that is about to change.
A few companies and universities are working on propulsion systems for cubesats. These will give the cubesats wings allowing them to go BLEO and onto the outer planets in the next few years.
 
Here are just a few of the many being developed or already flight ready.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/05/03/nasa-eyes-sending-cubesats-deep-space/

Chemical
http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/04/08/nasa-awards-aerojet-rocketdyne-contract-cubesat-propulsion-system/

Water as propulsion.
www.tethers.com/HYDROS.html

Plasma
www.space.com/21867-cubesat-deep-space-propulsion-kickstarter.html

Micro Electrospray Thrusters (MEP)
https://gcd.larc.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/FS-MEP_factsheet_130124.pdf

Solar sails
http://www.gizmag.com/cubesats-phobos-nasa/22037/
 


Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: jongoff on 07/09/2014 02:56 pm
There's also our MIDAS (Multi-purpose Interplanetary Deployable Aerocapture System) project to do a deployable Magnetoshell Aerocapture coil combined with deep space comms and a 1-3m^2 roll-out solar array. It's only deceleration propulsion, but if we can make it work, it'd allow a 6U cubesat sized object to capture into orbit around another planet--that's a ~1000m/s delta-V maneuver performed in under 5min...

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/05/05/altius-space-machines/
http://blog.altius-space.com/2014/06/recent-altius-contract-wins-what-do-they-mean/

~Jon
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/10/2014 01:01 am
History of cubesat in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtMICvQgeY0

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/10/2014 09:28 am
 Cubesat Interplanetary missions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esXN8KnhQEk
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/11/2014 01:09 am
The Prox-1 is actually a Microsatellite which launches a cubesat as a target to focus on. In this case the target cubesat will be Planetary Society's LightSail experiment.
The Prox-1 is designed to lock onto a item in space and orbit. Just the technology for close up surveys of asteriods, some these students might find themselves working for Planetary Resources one day.

http://nique.net/news/2013/01/24/students-may-launch-the-first-tech-satellite/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/13/2014 09:54 pm
With regular COTS flights now, NASA is putting the ISS to good use testing new technologies on cubesats.

 http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/07/13/nasa-ames-launches-smartphone-upgrade-cubesat-aboard-orbital-rocket/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/16/2014 08:16 am
This video from small sat conference covers following.
1)Tethers Unlimited water propulsion for cubesats, plus the slingshot method of sending a secondary payload into outer space.
2) ULA ride sharing technologies. The MULE at 0:41 is SEP ESPA capable of delivery its cargo to Mars.
Amazing how many places they can find on 2nd stage to place rideshare payloads.
3) Interorbital small sat launcher.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/34719483
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/16/2014 11:15 am
Video from ISSC 2014.
First half of this video starting about 0:10 is on the CAT thruster. This is a plasma thruster for cubesats. With LEO to earth escape in 6months and DV of  up to 7km/s this propulsion system enables planetary missions using LEO launched cubesats.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/46819252
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: MajorBringdown on 07/18/2014 04:33 pm
Thanks for these links, I found them quite interesting.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/18/2014 10:09 pm
Thanks Major for the support.

Here are a couple of articles from Jon about the Asteroid sampling project and Midas project.


http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/07/18/altius-update/

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/07/17/indepth-altius-space-machines-contract-awards/

Landing on a tumbling asteroid is one of the many problems to solve. There a plenty of 2nd stages in orbit to test the technology on.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/29/2014 06:09 pm
What interested me about this article was the monitoring of illegal fishing. New Zealand spends a lot of money on policing its coastal waters.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/07/29/nanosatisfi-raises-25-million-series-funding-spire/#more-53008

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/31/2014 04:44 pm
NASA first earth science cubesat.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/07/31/nasa-launch-science-cubesat-mission/#more-53019
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/07/2014 06:55 pm
Cubesats for planetary missions.

 http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/08/07/keck-proposes-deep-space-cubesat-missions/#more-53098
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Ohsin on 08/09/2014 05:33 pm
There are these Earth-imaging satellites from PlanetLabs

https://www.planet.com/flock1/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/11/2014 08:11 pm
NASA to fund smallsat technologies.
The mini star tracker is for planetary explorer cubesats.

 http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/08/11/nasa-funds-additional-smallsat-research-projects/#more-53130
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: mlindner on 08/13/2014 07:34 am
Cubesat Interplanetary missions

<snip>

Nice link. Two University of Michigan featured satellites. Cool.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/14/2014 09:18 am
Great article by Jeff on using Cubesats for Lunar missions.

The SLS 2017 lunar flyby demo could deploy quite a few Cubesats as secondary payloads. Looks like NASA is trying fill these secondary payload slots with interesting experiments/missions. Between Cubesats and the new small landers being developed for Lunar Xprize, a medium LV eg F9 could deliver multiple missions to moon in one launch.

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2570/1
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/14/2014 09:53 am
Another article on a Cubesat Lunar Lander. Cubesat technology still has away to go but this may be feasible in next few years.

http://www.cubesatlab.org/doc/Space-Grant-Dinner-2010-Poster-CubeSat-Lunar-Lander-Design.pdf

An another
http://www.space.com/17273-tiny-lunarcubes-spacecraft-moon-exploration.html

A small cubesat lunar hopper would be ideal in exploring lava tubes. Land a small lander (eg moon express) near the lava tube entrance then deploy multiple hoppers each one building on the last ones flight, they could also be used as communications repeaters.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 08/14/2014 01:01 pm
From Aviation Week: Smartphone Advances Drive Smallsats (http://aviationweek.com/space/smartphone-advances-drive-smallsats)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: oldAtlas_Eguy on 08/15/2014 02:14 pm
From the standpoint of custom phonesat implementations there is a significant software automation-set for phone design with virtual and hardware in the loop simulation.  You can change the frequency, the modulation, the codes, the operation modes (act not just as a client but as a peer to peer or even as a base station), bandwidth, etc.  Modern phones use direct convert digital to and from RF.  Meaning there are no limitations other than a top frequency of the converters used.

This means that new designs using latest components can be rapidly used and designed and built in less than 6 months.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 08/15/2014 02:17 pm
From the standpoint of custom phonesat implementations there is a significant software automation-set for phone design with virtual and hardware in the loop simulation.  You can change the frequency, the modulation, the codes, the operation modes (act not just as a client but as a peer to peer or even as a base station), bandwidth, etc.  Modern phones use direct convert digital to and from RF.  Meaning there are no limitations other than a top frequency of the converters used.

This means that new designs using latest components can be rapidly used and designed and built in less than 6 months.

You are suggesting that a cellphone is almost a software defined radio (within the limits of its predetermined frequencies).
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/16/2014 09:55 am
History for UK small satellites. A couple of interesting applications for cubesats from 38 minute mark.
 
1) Attach a cubesat to debris and deploy a sail to add drag and deorbit it. I'm sure NASA would be happy to provide free secondary payload slots for these cubesats.

2) Build a large mirror from lots of small mirrors mounted on cubesats flying information. This is the idea of using constellations to do the job of a large expensive satellite. Doesn't matter if the cheap not so reliable cubesat fails as there is a spare wait in orbit.  Would be interesting to know if this technique could be used to replace something like the Hubble. Last I heard the James Webb was going to cost 8.8B, that can buy and launch a lot of cubesats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w2lZ922-iM

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: oldAtlas_Eguy on 08/16/2014 02:00 pm
From the standpoint of custom phonesat implementations there is a significant software automation-set for phone design with virtual and hardware in the loop simulation.  You can change the frequency, the modulation, the codes, the operation modes (act not just as a client but as a peer to peer or even as a base station), bandwidth, etc.  Modern phones use direct convert digital to and from RF.  Meaning there are no limitations other than a top frequency of the converters used.

This means that new designs using latest components can be rapidly used and designed and built in less than 6 months.

You are suggesting that a cellphone is almost a software defined radio (within the limits of its predetermined frequencies).

It is a software defined radio.  They have been since about 2002.  The hardware RF capabilities have increased such that the top freq it is capable of has reached 10GHz to be usable in some European markets.

Edit; P.S. The new hardware dosn't even have a pre-amp or RF out amp anymore.  No real RF circuit tuning dificulties other than careful circuit board line draw policies to limit RF crosstalk which is part of the software package that designs the boards for you.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/18/2014 10:34 am
Origami Solar Power arrays. 

http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1113213424/origami-for-space-solar-power-arrays-081514/

The example in the video above was for 65W cubesat array. Compare this to CAT thruster mission examples below using a 25W array, about 0:30 mark.
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/46819252
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: A_M_Swallow on 08/18/2014 12:24 pm
Origami Solar Power arrays. 

http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1113213424/origami-for-space-solar-power-arrays-081514/

The example in the video above was for 65W cubesat array. Compare this to CAT thruster mission examples below using a 25W array, about 0:30 mark.
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/46819252

Standard worries about mass apply.  With luck these two will be made for each other.

I wonder if the origami solar array can also act as a radio disk?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/20/2014 09:58 am
This is first of SmallSat conference 2014 videos I've seen, only just be placed on Youtube. Hopefully more will fully.
Please post any you view, along with a short summary plus the video title.

Small Sat 2014: Keynote Steve Jurvetson
Steve Jurvetson is one of the commercial space industry's most successful investors. He is a partner of Draper Fisher Jurvetson,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzudBqGyPTY

First part is about SpaceX, followed by a little history of PlanetLabs.
Besides his investments in SpaceX he is also backing some small sat launches, didn't mention any names but I'm guessing companies like RocketLab and Firefly.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/20/2014 07:38 pm
The future of cubesats looks bright.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/08/20/cubesat-advances/#more-53173
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/21/2014 10:09 am
Space Station Live: TechEdSat-4 CubeSat Investigation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=divk-K1l7zM

Another example of using ISS and Cubesats for testing new technology.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/22/2014 09:20 am
Micro Reentry Capsule 2 (MIRKA2) is a two segment nanosatellit reentry mission.
The cubesat is planned to be launched by the Canadarm2 from the ISS.
An experimenal pulsed plasma thruster (PPT) engine deorbits the system to separation altitude of 125km.
During separation the capsule gets accelerated and descends faster into the atmosphere.
During reentry several detectors measure the ablation behavior of the experimental heat shield.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVoEXn_my1w

Launching Sept14 ?.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: jongoff on 08/23/2014 09:47 am
This is first of SmallSat conference 2014 videos I've seen, only just be placed on Youtube. Hopefully more will fully.
Please post any you view, along with a short summary plus the video title.

Small Sat 2014: Keynote Steve Jurvetson
Steve Jurvetson is one of the commercial space industry's most successful investors. He is a partner of Draper Fisher Jurvetson,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzudBqGyPTY

First part is about SpaceX, followed by a little history of PlanetLabs.
Besides his investments in SpaceX he is also backing some small sat launches, didn't mention any names but I'm guessing companies like RocketLab and Firefly.


One the points I best liked about Jurvetson's presentation was his point that having an audacious long-term goal often focuses you on making nearer-term design decisions differently than if you only had short-term goals. For instance, SpaceX's obsession with reusability isn't just about near-term decreased costs for satellite launch, but because of its long-term Mars ambitions.

There's the counter-risk that you'll make bad decisions based on incomplete information about a long-term vision. But I agree with him, that in some cases having that more ambitious long-term goal focuses you in a way that allows you (if you can make it through to product) to leapfrog past your competition. If you're the one company in the world with a highly reusable first stage (that took a few crashes to get perfected), it may be a huge benefit that will take your competitors years to catch up on.

~Jon
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/24/2014 08:15 am
Another video on Michigan Engineering's CAT plasma thruster. With 7 kg payload a 6U cubesat can reach Jupiter in 3yrs from C3 for <$10M per cubesat. 
This is why planetary scientists are very interested/excited by the advances in smallsat and cubesat technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcr-ZVuJYzU
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: mlindner on 08/24/2014 10:01 am
Another video on Michigan Engineering's CAT plasma thruster. With 7 kg payload a 6U cubesat can reach Jupiter in 3yrs from C3 for <$10M per cubesat. 
This is why planetary scientists are very interested/excited by the advances in smallsat and cubesat technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcr-ZVuJYzU

Being from Michigan and having worked on two of the satellites is so cool to think back on. Also odd seeing people I knew featured in these videos.

Also, I know that classroom,  can't think of which one it is off the top of my head but I probably took a class there. So surreal.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/29/2014 09:25 pm
Small satellite market grow projections.

 http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/08/29/nano-microsat-market-expected-grow-rapidly/#more-53288
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/03/2014 08:43 am
Small satellite formation flying, (28th May article ) plus other interesting space stuff.

http://spirit.as.utexas.edu/~fiso/archivelist.htm
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/05/2014 12:51 am
Cyclops Smallsat deployer for ISS. This is due to fly on CRS-4 later this month.

3th Sept 14 article. I couldn't open then Zip file as it is password protected. If somebody knows the password or has a link to video it would be appreciated.
The mp3 file is OK.

http://spirit.as.utexas.edu/~fiso/archivelist.htm

Here is paper on the Cyclops plus its first 2 payloads.
http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2941&context=smallsat
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: grythumn on 09/08/2014 02:22 am
Cyclops Smallsat deployer for ISS. This is due to fly on CRS-4 later this month.

3th Sept 14 article. I couldn't open then Zip file as it is password protected. If somebody knows the password or has a link to video it would be appreciated.
The mp3 file is OK.

http://spirit.as.utexas.edu/~fiso/archivelist.htm

Here is paper on the Cyclops plus its first 2 payloads.
http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2941&context=smallsat

No password needed here. Try using a newer version of WinZip, WinRar, or 7zip?

-Bob
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/16/2014 05:53 am
Thanks Grythum
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 10/01/2014 01:48 pm
Has anyone ever flown a CubeSAT with propulsion?

edit: I mean a propulsion system that actually worked.

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Skyrocket on 10/01/2014 02:39 pm
Has anyone ever flown a CubeSAT with propulsion?


STRaND-1 did have a Water Alcohol Resistojet Propulsion system and a pulsed plasma thruster, but the satellite didn't work.

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/strand-1.htm
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/01/2014 04:07 pm
Has anyone ever flown a CubeSAT with propulsion?
Read cyclop deployer articles above. I think one of smallsats its deploying is going to test some thrusters.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 10/01/2014 07:29 pm
Has anyone ever flown a CubeSAT with propulsion?
Read cyclop deployer articles above. I think one of smallsats its deploying is going to test some thrusters.

One of the attributes of the CubeSAT industry is that everything is planned but nothing flies and works. Or at least, it seems that way.

I have gotten into long discussions about plans for using such and such a technology until someone realizes that the technology has never flown and worked on a CubeSAT, although all parties assumed that it was proven hardware.


Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Ohsin on 10/02/2014 08:22 pm
Has anyone ever flown a CubeSAT with propulsion?
Read cyclop deployer articles above. I think one of smallsats its deploying is going to test some thrusters.

SpinSat is using these solid thrusters I think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9rSXUdh9ZY

Block of solid propellant.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkSnRIQThHE
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: gwiz on 10/03/2014 11:17 am
Has anyone ever flown a CubeSAT with propulsion?
Read cyclop deployer articles above. I think one of smallsats its deploying is going to test some thrusters.
SpinSat is using these solid thrusters I think.
SpinSat isn't a Cubesat.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 10/04/2014 01:02 pm
Even if SpinSat is GOING to test CubeSAT propulsion, my point remains is that "everyone" thinks CubeSAT propulsion has been tested, but it hasn't.

There are a series of CubeSAT technologies that have been proposed, but have not successfully flown:

Tethers
Large solar arrays ( > 10 watts)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/04/2014 08:51 pm
Even in cubesat world taking new technologies from the lab to flight still takes time and more importantly money.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 10/04/2014 10:15 pm
Even in cubesat world taking new technologies from the lab to flight still takes time and more importantly money.


Oh, yeah, but my point was and is that a lot of people assume that these technologies are proven, but not much has actually been flight proven.

Same with the ground station network, lots of talk, but no network, so comm is a real problem for CubeSATs.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Skyrocket on 10/04/2014 11:40 pm
Even in cubesat world taking new technologies from the lab to flight still takes time and more importantly money.


Oh, yeah, but my point was and is that a lot of people assume that these technologies are proven, but not much has actually been flight proven.

Same with the ground station network, lots of talk, but no network, so comm is a real problem for CubeSATs.


But this is not a problem specific to cubesats. It happens all the time in all areas, if people assume something instead of doing recherches.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/09/2014 09:15 am
This webcast is about reducing the cost of space especially the expensive government satellites.
Discusses using lower cost smallsats and cubesats in LEO to replace some of the expensive higher orbit satellites.
Government space employees will like the hunting plan.

http://spirit.as.utexas.edu/~fiso/telecon/Wertz_10-8-14/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/15/2014 05:44 pm
Solarpanels and web shop for PocketQubes. PocketQubes are 5cm square cube compared to 10cm for 1U cubesats.


http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/10/15/alba-orbital/#more-53669
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/23/2014 08:51 pm
Cubesat Formation flying demonstration mission. This mission has 2 cubesats, one is carrying a sunshade and is flown 20 m in front of 2nd cubesat which has a telescope to record solar activity eg solar flares.

http://spacefellowship.com/news/art41653/nasa-creating-a-virtual-telescope-with-two-small-spacecraft.html

Formation flying has potential to use multiple cubesats to do the job of one larger more expensive satellite. The other advantage is being able to upgrade and expand incrementally as budget and technology allows.

In the example above they could add another cubesat with different sensor/ telescope to monitor different light spectrums.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 10/31/2014 02:29 pm
I am curious as to limitations for US CubeSAT operators to fly on Russian launch vehicles these days.

 
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: pericynthion on 10/31/2014 08:25 pm
I am curious as to limitations for US CubeSAT operators to fly on Russian launch vehicles these days.

A few more hoops to jump through but still possible.  Who knows how it will change in the future though.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/19/2014 12:35 pm
NASA develop 6U platform for technology demonstration.

http://www.americaspace.com/?p=71570#more-71570
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: ravedave on 11/20/2014 05:08 am
Do these fit into this category? They are 10x10x30 inches, and image the earth.

https://www.planet.com/

Two of them are going up with CRS-5, to add to an already existing cluster.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 11/20/2014 05:57 am
Do these fit into this category? They are 10x10x30 inches, and image the earth.

https://www.planet.com/

Two of them are going up with CRS-5, to add to an already existing cluster.

I believe those are centimeters, not inches. which makes them 3U CubeSATs.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 11/20/2014 02:58 pm
NASA Skunkworks Team Designs Advanced New 'Dellingr' CubeSat

http://www.americaspace.com/?p=71570

An advanced new six-unit (6U) CubeSat is being designed by a NASA skunkworks team, for possible deployment from the International Space Station by January 2016. The CubeSat, named Dellingr after the god of the dawn in Norse mythology, will be developed and tested over the next year under a self-imposed deadline. The CubeSat will be able to accommodate agency-class science investigations and technology demonstrations at a lower cost than normal.

The development team is comprised of engineers and scientists from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Environmental testing is expected to begin in December; after testing is completed, the CubeSat will then be delivered to NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, where it will be readied for launch to the International Space Station, possibly as early as January 2016.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Skyrocket on 11/20/2014 03:24 pm
For those who care for CubeSats - i am trying to keep track of all cubsat missions on this page:

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sat/cubesat.htm

BTW: if you know of a cubesat mission, which is not yet on the list, please drop me a note.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/25/2014 05:17 pm
NASA Lunar cubesat competition.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=34935.0
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 12/09/2014 05:41 pm
Micro sat to do a asteroid flyby.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/12/08/jaxa-testing-deep-space-microsat-with-asteroid-flyby/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 12/09/2014 05:45 pm
Micro sat to do a asteroid flyby.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/12/08/jaxa-testing-deep-space-microsat-with-asteroid-flyby/

A SkyBox class satellite, ie about the size of a small refrigerator.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Prober on 12/10/2014 12:07 pm
This might be of interest to CubeSat and NanoSat users.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=33141.315

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 12/16/2014 06:07 pm
A 3D printed hydrazine propulsion system from Aerojet for cubesats.
Nice to see it can also be built to use  AF-M315E a green replacement for hydrazine.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/12/16/aerojet-completes-hot-fire-3d-printed-cubesat-propulsion-system/#more-54182
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 01/03/2015 08:33 am
Cubesats demo formation flying.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/12/31/canadian-researchers-demonstrate-cubesat-formation-flying/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Skyrocket on 01/03/2015 08:49 am
Cubesats demo formation flying.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/12/31/canadian-researchers-demonstrate-cubesat-formation-flying/

CanX-4 and 5 are not CubeSats.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: pericynthion on 01/05/2015 11:25 pm
Yeah, they may be cube-shaped but I think 8U is pushing the definition of cubesat.  Cool mission though!
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: SaxtonHale on 01/10/2015 06:13 pm
Cubesats to flyby Mars, launching with InSight:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=27717.msg1313628#msg1313628
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 01/26/2015 05:36 pm
Solar sail cubesat test flight due to launch in May on an Atlas.

http://spacenews.com/planetary-society-sets-may-launch-for-solar-sail-experiment/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 01/28/2015 07:36 am
Cubesats to study Jupitors atmosphere.

http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1113321861/studying-jupiters-atmosphere-with-cube-satellites-012715/

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: bolun on 01/29/2015 01:09 pm
Picasso CubeSat

The PICosatellite for Atmospheric and Space Science Observations (Picasso) CubeSat, designed to investigate the upper layers of Earth’s atmosphere.

Developed for ESA by the Belgian Institute of Space Aeronomy with VTT Finland and the UK’s Clyde Space, Picasso will measure the distribution of ozone in the stratosphere and profile the temperature of the mesosphere and the electron density in the ionosphere.

Just 30x10x10 cm in size, the CubeSat will use a miniaturised multispectral imager for atmospheric ‘limb sounding’ with the Sun as the light source, and a multineedle ‘Langmuir probe’ sampling the electron density of the space around it.

CubeSats are standardised pico- and nanosatellites formed in cubes of 10 cm per side, with a maximum mass of 1.5 kg per cube, intended to make access to space affordable for small companies, research institutes and universities. One-, two- or three-cube CubeSats are currently being flown.

Picasso is one of a number of CubeSat missions being backed by the In-Orbit Demonstration element of ESA’s General Support Technology Programme. It will be launched in 2016 as part of QB50, a network of 50 CubeSats to probe largely unexplored layers of Earth’s atmosphere.

http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2015/01/Picasso_CubeSat2

Image credit: BISA
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 02/02/2015 01:55 am
Another video on Michigan Engineering's CAT plasma thruster. With 7 kg payload a 6U cubesat can reach Jupiter in 3yrs from C3 for <$10M per cubesat. 
This is why planetary scientists are very interested/excited by the advances in smallsat and cubesat technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcr-ZVuJYzU
Looks like the CAT will fly first half of 2015.

http://www.projectaether.org/main/space/mission.html
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 02/02/2015 05:09 pm
Weather forecasting by another startup using cubesats.

https://gigaom.com/2015/01/29/spire-wants-to-improve-weather-forecasting-with-tiny-satellites/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 02/08/2015 04:53 pm
NASA to launch 14 research cube sats. These are mainly from universities.


http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/02/07/54600/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 02/08/2015 04:56 pm
Weather forecasting by another startup using cubesats.

https://gigaom.com/2015/01/29/spire-wants-to-improve-weather-forecasting-with-tiny-satellites/
Another commercial weather forecasting startup using smallsats

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/02/07/planetiq-plans-commercial-weather-satellite-constellation/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: A_M_Swallow on 02/08/2015 07:41 pm
NASA to launch 14 research cube sats. These are mainly from universities.


http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/02/07/54600/

Is the radiation tolerant computer system in RadSat developed by Montana State University going on sale?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 02/16/2015 08:40 pm
I am interested in the use of Arduino or Raspberry PI controllers on nanoSATs, anything planning to be flown using these systems?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: pericynthion on 02/16/2015 09:30 pm
Well there was ArduSat.  I don't know if they ever made contact with it.
I sincerely hope nobody tries to put a Raspberry Pi on a satellite.  Those things are super flakey.  The Arduino hardware is okay (if limited), it's just kind of a dumbed-down system.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 02/18/2015 02:53 am
Cubesat for interplanetary missions.

http://futureplanets.blogspot.co.nz/2015/02/planetary-cubesats-begin-to-come-of-age.html?m=1
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: SaxtonHale on 02/20/2015 06:21 am
Some details on MarCO- two redundant 6U EDL-relay cubesats to launch with InSight and flyby Mars.

8 kbps to DSN through deployable X-band antennas
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/12/2015 05:36 pm
24 Nanosat communications constellation. Nothing in article about what they are communicating with.

http://deepspaceindustries.com/bitcoin-pioneer-inks-contract-for-satellite-constellation/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/15/2015 05:28 pm
A cubesat satellite constellation providing internet access.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/03/14/uksa-clyde-space-provide-global-broadband-cubesats/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/16/2015 02:11 am
Yet another cubesat satellite constellation. Also lookout for something call "nanotug" from DSI.


http://www.satnews.com/story.php?number=857326858
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/16/2015 02:57 am
A cubesat satellite constellation providing internet access.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/03/14/uksa-clyde-space-provide-global-broadband-cubesats/
Here is bit more information on this. This actually one way transmission i.e web version of radio or TV. 

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/17330/a-working-web-broadcast-from-space-interview-with-outernet/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/16/2015 07:08 pm
New company claims to be have new cubesat scale electric propulsion ready. It seems that MIT iEPS (ion Electrospray Propulsion System) is ready for commercialization. Here is the company web http://www.accion-systems.com/ (http://www.accion-systems.com/).

The founders came from MIT iEPS project - http://web.mit.edu/aeroastro/labs/spl/research_ieps.htm (http://web.mit.edu/aeroastro/labs/spl/research_ieps.htm)

To be honest, their approach seems to be better suited for attitude control applications than main propulsion. But they really impressed me with their fuel - non-toxic, liquid ionic liquid. The main advantage is that is is very easy to get ions, so no "heating stage" is needed. Thus the "engine" is very compact.

Their initial unit (MAX-1) has 2000s ISP, 0.2U form factor, 5W input power, 60% efficiency, 120uN thrust.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/26/2015 01:43 am
Solarsails and cubesat.


http://spirit.as.utexas.edu/~fiso/telecon/Johnson_3-25-15/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: nadreck on 03/26/2015 04:47 am
Solarsails and cubesat.

http://spirit.as.utexas.edu/%7Efiso/telecon/Johnson_3-25-15/

:-(  Access denied
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/26/2015 07:35 am
I've edited it, try again.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: DougL on 03/26/2015 02:35 pm
Remarkable the size of a solar sail that can get packaged in a small container. We're talking about a 32 square meter sail packaged in a fraction of a #U cubesat.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: nadreck on 03/26/2015 05:38 pm
I've edited it, try again.

It still tells me access denied, my IP is outside of the US is that an issue?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/26/2015 06:54 pm
I've edited it, try again.

It still tells me access denied, my IP is outside of the US is that an issue?
Try this,  alternatively Google some of the address.
http://spirit.as.utexas.edu/~fiso/archivelist.htm
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/27/2015 01:28 am
Finally listened to this podcast about solar sails.

At end the presenter mentioned couple of future technologies.

 1) lite weight flexible solar panels/sails that could produce 100s watts for a cubesat.
2) use a solar sail as solar concentrator for the cubesat solar panels.

Both of these would be ideal for cubesat missions going to outer planets eg Jupiter.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Solman on 03/28/2015 12:23 am
Finally listened to this podcast about solar sails.

At end the presenter mentioned couple of future technologies.

 1) lite weight flexible solar panels/sails that could produce 100s watts for a cubesat.
2) use a solar sail as solar concentrator for the cubesat solar panels.

Both of these would be ideal for cubesat missions going to outer planets eg Jupiter.

As someone that has been advocating the use of large solar concentrators with solar cells designed for concentrated sunlight (as opposed to the one foot dia. or so concentrators currently used with such cells on some comsats) for over a decade, it is very gratifying to hear that someone is finally proposing this.
Concentrator cells have achieved over 40% efficiency at up to 900 Suns so the total power available to a cubesat might be even higher than thought. A 32 sq. meter concentrator might not have much more mass than the solar sail mentioned above - particularly since a few hundred Suns is less difficult to achieve than the thousands of Suns for solar furnaces. A concentrator of this size and 90% reflectivity would focus about 11.7 KW thermal in LEO and at 40% efficiency concentrator PV would produce nearly 4.7 KW elec. although a cooling system would be needed.
Concentrator mass can be further reduced as can solar sail mass by cutting holes smaller than the wavelength of visible light to cut their mass by perhaps a factor of ten. Even current tech at 17 KW/kg thermal is competitive with nuclear at Saturn's distance IMO.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 03/28/2015 01:18 pm
Is this going to fly as a CubeSAT?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Burninate on 03/28/2015 01:42 pm
Finally listened to this podcast about solar sails.

At end the presenter mentioned couple of future technologies.

 1) lite weight flexible solar panels/sails that could produce 100s watts for a cubesat.
2) use a solar sail as solar concentrator for the cubesat solar panels.

Both of these would be ideal for cubesat missions going to outer planets eg Jupiter.

As someone that has been advocating the use of large solar concentrators with solar cells designed for concentrated sunlight (as opposed to the one foot dia. or so concentrators currently used with such cells on some comsats) for over a decade, it is very gratifying to hear that someone is finally proposing this.
Concentrator cells have achieved over 40% efficiency at up to 900 Suns so the total power available to a cubesat might be even higher than thought. A 32 sq. meter concentrator might not have much more mass than the solar sail mentioned above - particularly since a few hundred Suns is less difficult to achieve than the thousands of Suns for solar furnaces. A concentrator of this size and 90% reflectivity would focus about 11.7 KW thermal in LEO and at 40% efficiency concentrator PV would produce nearly 4.7 KW elec. although a cooling system would be needed.
Concentrator mass can be further reduced as can solar sail mass by cutting holes smaller than the wavelength of visible light to cut their mass by perhaps a factor of ten. Even current tech at 17 KW/kg thermal is competitive with nuclear at Saturn's distance IMO.

I would like to invite you to use this thread: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=36789.0;all  to expand on your view of the technologies involved, ideally with citations.

You are talking about numbers tens of times higher than the state of the art panel arrays.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Comga on 03/29/2015 04:08 pm
Another video on Michigan Engineering's CAT plasma thruster. With 7 kg payload a 6U cubesat can reach Jupiter in 3yrs from C3 for <$10M per cubesat. 
This is why planetary scientists are very interested/excited by the advances in smallsat and cubesat technology.
Looks like the CAT will fly first half of 2015.
http://www.projectaether.org/main/space/mission.html
Did anyone watch this and take notes?
The link is dead.
The "C3" noted above is missing its numeric value.
Nanosats suffer from radiation in Earth orbit. Jupiter's environment would be a stretch to say the least.
Then there is generating power at 5AU where the solar irradiance is 4% of that near Earth.
Then there is communicating over that distance with that constrained power.
A few challenges To say the least.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: mtakala24 on 03/29/2015 04:43 pm
Power generation may turn out to be the biggest issue in flying Cubesats far out, as many of the other problems could be solved by just adding more power! (insert Jeremy Clarkson joke here).

It gets also very cold and cubesat shape (10cm cube at least) contains too little structure to retain heat. Could get too cold very quickly in malfunction situations.

There are solutions, though.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: A_M_Swallow on 03/29/2015 09:49 pm
Power generation may turn out to be the biggest issue in flying Cubesats far out, as many of the other problems could be solved by just adding more power! (insert Jeremy Clarkson joke here).

It gets also very cold and cubesat shape (10cm cube at least) contains too little structure to retain heat. Could get too cold very quickly in malfunction situations.

There are solutions, though.

CubeProbes are likely to need light weight mirrors to reflect the weak sunlight onto their solar panels.

Fortunately in a 6U device there is more room for insulation.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: mtakala24 on 03/29/2015 10:33 pm
Yes, 6U is one solution. Another is to not actually follow Cubesat sizes, but to build it somewhat bigger than 1U in every direction, still enjoying the benefits of being a NanoSat.

One other is to have CubeProbe with a pretty short lifetime, deployed just in time from a main probe.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 03/29/2015 10:49 pm
Use of propulsion systems and other factors will force some developers to move to a 9U configuration, which I call a "FlatSat".

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: A_M_Swallow on 03/29/2015 11:04 pm
Use of propulsion systems and other factors will force some developers to move to a 9U configuration, which I call a "FlatSat".


You will need a special launcher for a 9U. That will produce a big cost increase.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: mtakala24 on 03/30/2015 12:45 am
Yes, I was trying also to get this discussion to the direction of non-standard dispensers, which would increase the cost for sure.

But what if those were simply scaled up CubeSat launchers? Is that even possible.. patented tech etc...?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/30/2015 03:01 am
It is nice to see people discussing Cubesats but I would rather some body start a thread for discusses and keep this thread purely for posting new information.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 03/30/2015 02:13 pm
Use of propulsion systems and other factors will force some developers to move to a 9U configuration, which I call a "FlatSat".


You will need a special launcher for a 9U. That will produce a big cost increase.
You are correct.

I am simply pointing out the direction in which things are heading. A 9U FlatSat would also have the advantage of lower mass for structure; assuming 1U for avionics, 1 or 2U for propulsion, and the rest would be available for instruments. Moreover, a FlatSat may allow surface mounted solar panels that could eliminate the requirement for deployable arrays.

As for the costs of a dispenser, this would be a one time development expense, rather than an ongoing expense; as the founder of a company that makes dispensers, I can tell you that such expenses are not overwhelming.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/04/2015 05:18 am
Two solarsail nanosats ( along with others) to ride share on SLS EM1.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/04/03/nasa-launch-deep-space-cubesats/#more-54993
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Burninate on 04/04/2015 12:48 pm
It is nice to see people discussing Cubesats but I would rather some body start a thread for discusses and keep this thread purely for posting new information.
Honestly at this point I think the topic of nanosats & microsats is starting to deserve its own forum.

We're now (last year) launching more than a hundred cubesats a year.  With mass-deployment mechanisms in planning, and a whole market in microsat launchers scheduled to sink or swim in the next five years, a thousand cubesats a year is not far in the future.  With that many projects, substantial commonality exists, so there is room for threads on specific parts as well as individual missions and programs.

What it is not is a simple extension of the ISS.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: A_M_Swallow on 04/04/2015 04:08 pm
Honestly at this point I think the topic of nanosats & microsats is starting to deserve its own forum.

We're now (last year) launching more than a hundred cubesats a year.  With mass-deployment mechanisms in planning, and a whole market in microsat launchers scheduled to sink or swim in the next five years, a thousand cubesats a year is not far in the future.  With that many projects, substantial commonality exists, so there is room for threads on specific parts as well as individual missions and programs.

What it is not is a simple extension of the ISS.

That is a $100 million dollar launch market. Definately grown up.

Launch costs of a 1U cubesat is (or was) $100,000.
Expect ~1000 launches a year within 5 years.

$100,000 * 1,000 = $100 million/year

3U cubesats cost about 3 times as much to launch.
Designing and making the cubesats will at least double the cost again.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 04/04/2015 06:12 pm
Somehow, I don't think the CubeSAT community is going to pony up $100 million  5 years from now to pay for launches, unless the government starts deploying CubeSATs en masse as operational spacecraft.

Of course, there are several rocket companies with business plans that assume large numbers of paying CubeSAT companies, but the inevitable market process is probably going to winnow out all but one or two major providers, who may launch a handful of times per year for dedicated CubeSAT launches.



Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/11/2015 06:44 am
Cubesats are swarming.


http://news.sciencemag.org/space/2015/04/feature-cubesats-are-swarming-and-transforming-space-science?utm_campaign=email-news-latest&utm_src=email
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Comga on 04/11/2015 06:55 am
Use of propulsion systems and other factors will force some developers to move to a 9U configuration, which I call a "FlatSat".

The term "flatsat" is already in use.

It refers to a prototype or engineering testbed where the innards of a satellite are are laid out flat, so they are easy to access and work on.

This does not affect your argument for a 9U configuration, although I have seen no development efforts agreeing with that.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/12/2015 03:34 pm
Article on Planetlabs.

http://news.sciencemag.org/space/2015/04/feature-how-tiny-satellites-spawned-silicon-valley-will-monitor-changing-earth
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/19/2015 10:19 am
CubeSat Scale Laser Communication demo flight using Aerospace Corporation Aerocube-7, plus lots of other interesting stuff Aerospace are working on.

This is due to fly spring 2015. Does anybody any information on it?

http://www.spacesymposium.org/sites/default/files/downloads/R.Welle_31st_Space_Symposium_Tech_Track.pdf

http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/D_Hinkley-Aerospace_PICOSAT_Capability_Status_2014.pdf
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/19/2015 10:24 am
S2Ops, an Autonomous CubeSat Ground System

http://www.spacesymposium.org/sites/default/files/downloads/T.Choo_31st_Space_Symposium_Tech_Track.pdf
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/22/2015 07:34 pm
Doug from Parabolic arc is at cubesat workshop. Follow on his tweets @space com.

He is tweeting some interesting stuff.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/04/22/cubesat-developers-conference-coverage/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/25/2015 04:06 am
100 year old management consulting firm entering the cubesat business. This is like MacDonalds deciding to build bicycles.

http://spacenews.com/first-booz-allen-satellite-will-observe-air-force-laser/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: pericynthion on 04/26/2015 05:57 am
Launch costs of a 1U cubesat is (or was) $100,000.

3U cubesats cost about 3 times as much to launch.
Designing and making the cubesats will at least double the cost again.

If it's that expensive, you're doing it wrong...
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/28/2015 11:13 am
Here is a more detailed paper on the Cubesat to laser communications test.

http://www.spacesymposium.org/sites/default/files/downloads/R.Welle_31st_Space_Symposium_Tech_Track_paper.pdf

They are targeting a downlink speed of 50Mb/s from a 600km orbit, with a transmission window of 3 minutes on each pass/orbit. That is 1.1Gbytes with usual transmission frame overheads should still be about 1GB per pass or 100 10MB pictures. They are hoping for transmissions rates up to 200Mb/s. If this works a single cubesat could download 100s-1000s of high quality pictures each day.

A network of dozens of earth stations would enable a cubesat to download 10sGB per orbit assuming it has power (read article). I can see a global network of earth stations being recreated to service 1000s of satellites. If satellite can't use a earth station because it clouded out or busy it just downloads at next free station. Each station would forward the received data to owner of satellite via web.

Assume $3 a picture and 1000 a day per cubesat that is $1M a year. At $100,000 to build then another $400,000 (RocketLab) to launch a 6U cubesat, the payback period is 6 months.
Who is going to pay $3 a photo, at $1000 per year for daily photo (weather permitting) farmers. 24 photos a day  for a forestry, $72 a day is cheap insurance to enable a forest fire to be spotted within an hour of it starting.

 
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Robotbeat on 05/01/2015 01:19 am
Launch costs of a 1U cubesat is (or was) $100,000.

3U cubesats cost about 3 times as much to launch.
Designing and making the cubesats will at least double the cost again.

If it's that expensive, you're doing it wrong...
That is about what http://spaceflightservices.com/pricing-plans/ charges nowadays... (Much more than in the past.)

...Nanoracks is a lot less, but not everyone gets the 100-cubesat-block-buy discount. ;)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/01/2015 02:55 am
Launch costs of a 1U cubesat is (or was) $100,000.

3U cubesats cost about 3 times as much to launch.
Designing and making the cubesats will at least double the cost again.

If it's that expensive, you're doing it wrong...
That is about what http://spaceflightservices.com/pricing-plans/ charges nowadays... (Much more than in the past.)

...Nanoracks is a lot less, but not everyone gets the 100-cubesat-block-buy discount. ;)
Rocket lab are charging $50k/kg (1U?) to 500km SSO.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: jgoldader on 05/04/2015 09:49 am
Does anybody make a sort of cubesat classroom kit, something that could be used to teach students how they work, maybe build a functional mockup?  I'm not talking about ones with $5000 solar panels, but a kit you could get for maybe $500-600?

With all the STEM stuff going on, it would seem an obvious idea, but I've never seen such a thing.  Thanks for any input!
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: dkovacic on 05/04/2015 02:43 pm
Here is one in this price range:
 http://store.ardusat.com/collections/frontpage/products/ardusat-demosat

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: jgoldader on 05/04/2015 09:44 pm
Here is one in this price range:
 http://store.ardusat.com/collections/frontpage/products/ardusat-demosat



Thanks! No solar panels, but is certainly the kind of thing I was looking for!
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: dkovacic on 05/05/2015 08:28 am
You can add Arduino shield with battery and USB input (such as http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/Solar-Charger-Shield-v22-p-2391.html ) and connect it with USB solar charger of your choice (there is quite a selection of these). I have not found any that would "look like" a cubesat solar panel though.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/08/2015 08:20 am
NASA is continuing to fund the development of CubeSat and smallsat technology through its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. - See more at: http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/05/07/nasa-cubesat-smallsat-sbir-sttr-phase/#sthash.9kBLJtWx.dpuf

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/05/07/nasa-cubesat-smallsat-sbir-sttr-phase/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/08/2015 08:22 am
Inflatable Antenna for cubesats

http://spirit.as.utexas.edu/~fiso/telecon/Babuscia_5-6-15/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/12/2015 05:43 pm
Lightsail test flight next month.

http://m.phys.org/_news350584917.html
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/15/2015 12:38 am
A prospecting Cubesat that can refuel itself using ISRU.


http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/05/14/honeybee-robotics-developing-prospector-spacecraft-refuel/#more-55227
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/19/2015 03:40 pm
Lightsail to launch with X37 .today.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/05/18/ula-launch-x37b-lightsail-wednesday/#more-55366
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/22/2015 06:18 pm
Agricultural land imaging using 16u cubesat/small sat .

http://spacenews.com/silicon-valley-firms-join-forces-on-agricultural-imagery-venture/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Comga on 05/26/2015 05:02 am
General question:

Are people on this thread following Professor Michael Swartwout‎'s comprehensive CubeSat Database (https://sites.google.com/a/slu.edu/swartwout/home/cubesat-database)? ‎

It's pretty good, but not perfect.  In an email Prof. Swartwout said that the launch rate was overwhelming him, and he appreciated additions and corrections. 

I like his presentation: The First 100 200 272 CubeSats (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_YNiLtqhzSqOGtYQTc5NHpmdzg/edit?pli=1)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Skyrocket on 05/26/2015 06:23 am
General question:

Are people on this thread following Professor Michael Swartwout‎'s comprehensive CubeSat Database (https://sites.google.com/a/slu.edu/swartwout/home/cubesat-database)? ‎

It's pretty good, but not perfect.  In an email Prof. Swartwout said that the launch rate was overwhelming him, and he appreciated additions and corrections. 

I like his presentation: The First 100 200 272 CubeSats (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_YNiLtqhzSqOGtYQTc5NHpmdzg/edit?pli=1)

Well, i do.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Comga on 05/28/2015 03:34 am
General question:

Are people on this thread following Professor Michael Swartwout‎'s comprehensive CubeSat Database (https://sites.google.com/a/slu.edu/swartwout/home/cubesat-database)? ‎

It's pretty good, but not perfect.  In an email Prof. Swartwout said that the launch rate was overwhelming him, and he appreciated additions and corrections. 

I like his presentation: The First 100 200 272 CubeSats (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_YNiLtqhzSqOGtYQTc5NHpmdzg/edit?pli=1)

Well, i do.

And he credits you a a good source of information for his list.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/01/2015 08:44 am
Vermont Tech Lunar Lander

http://lunar-cubes.com/program/palo-alto-briefing

This is a few years old and I can't finding anything recent but great idea.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/08/2015 06:55 pm
Light sail has been deployed.

http://spacenews.com/lightsail-finally-deploys-solar-sail/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/09/2015 03:52 pm
I recommend following Jeff tweets.

Jeff Foust (@jeff_foust) tweeted at 0:30 AM on Wed, Jun 10, 2015:
At @JHUAPL today for the Small Payload Rideshare Symposium http://t.co/UX3tpsmHKs (http://t.co/UX3tpsmHKs)
(https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/608249732171988992 (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/608249732171988992))

Get the official Twitter app at https://twitter.com/download (https://twitter.com/download)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/11/2015 07:16 pm
New flight ready cubesat thrusters.
Normally I'm reporting on technologies in development but now we are starting to see flight ready technologies coming through.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/06/11/busek-delivers-game-changing-cubesat-thrusters-naasa/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/11/2015 08:43 pm
Light sail has been deployed.

http://spacenews.com/lightsail-finally-deploys-solar-sail/

Mission was a success after a few teething problems, yet another flight ready technology for cubesats.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/06/11/planetary-society-declares-lightsail-mission-successful/#more-55530
With the solarsail planetary missions for <$10M are possible with launch costs starting at $0.5M to LEO for 6U cubesat.
http://www.spaceflightindustries.com/schedule-pricing/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/22/2015 10:00 am
Varies interesting Cubesat technologies in this document.

http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/SBIR_Phase1_ProjectsDescription_charts_2014.pdf
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: A_M_Swallow on 06/23/2015 06:24 am
Varies interesting Cubesat technologies in this document.

http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/SBIR_Phase1_ProjectsDescription_charts_2014.pdf

With rival cubesat propulsion systems a comparison needs producing so people can work out which one is appropriate for them.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/24/2015 05:39 pm
Using ice/water for propulsion.

http://mobile.extremetech.com/latest/223394-these-cubesat-nanosatellites-are-powered-with-ice?origref=http:%2F%2Ft.co%2FzsNbXtOjl9
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: styler on 07/09/2015 03:09 am
Right now it's LEO  ;), but CubeSats are filling in where some of the older, larger-type OSCAR amateur radio satellites can't, freeing the hobby and experimenters some of the expense of building and meeting launch requirements and payload cost.

Fox 1 series notes:
http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=1113

Fox series updates:
http://amsat-uk.org/tag/fox-1-2/
(some links to nasaspaceflight.com can be found under "planned space launches" to the right of the page)

ARRL article on the Fox series:
http://www.arrl.org/files/file/QST/This%20Month%20in%20QST/July2015/JORDAN.pdf
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/19/2015 12:26 am
Spire expanding their ground station network.

Spaceflight also announced partnerships with three other companies. Tethers Unlimited, BitBeam and Syrlinks will manufacture spacecraft radios designed to be “immediately compatible” with the network of ground stations. Those radios, Spaceflight said, are designed for cubesats but can also be used on larger smallsats. - See more at: http://spacenews.com/spaceflight-networks-and-spire-partner-on-smallsat-ground-network/#sthash.yEf3yIAs.dpuf

http://spacenews.com/spaceflight-networks-and-spire-partner-on-smallsat-ground-network/

There is definitely a bottleneck with downloading data from all the new cubesats and smallsat constellations that are going up, this network of ground stations should help. Between the radios and ground stations Spire has just made it a whole lot easier for new businesses using cubesats.

Long term Spire might end up making more money from their ground network than their satellites.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/19/2015 06:47 am
Cubesat centrifuge.

 "a centrifuge producing artificial gravity to simulate surface conditions on asteroids greater than 1 km diameter"

http://space.asu.edu/aosat1.html
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/19/2015 06:52 am
Eupora exploration cubesat to accompany Clipper.

http://space.asu.edu/europa.html

There are few exploration missions proposals using cubesats for a similar approach, to do dedicated high risk missions that supplement the main mission.

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/24/2015 12:23 am
Cubesats missions to demo Optical communications to ground station.

http://spacenews.com/aerospace-corp-is-thinking-big-on-small-satellites/

The Optical Communications Satellite Demonstration was Aerospace’s first NASA project. It was designed initially to demonstrate that cubesats could transmit data at a rate of five megabits per second to a ground station with a 30-centimeter diameter antenna. Now, the Aerospace team expects the satellites to transmit 200 megabits of data per second. “It’s not a whole lot more difficult to hit 200 megabits per second than it is to hit five,” Welle said. “So that’s what we are aiming for.”

Aerospace delivered the first Optical Communications Satellite Demonstration spacecraft to NASA in March. That satellite is scheduled to launch in August as a secondary payload on a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Organization payload.

- See more at: http://spacenews.com/aerospace-corp-is-thinking-big-on-small-satellites/#sthash.WlyboJZm.dpuf
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/25/2015 12:15 am
Smallsat conference Archive. This archive contains all the Smallsat conference presentations/technical papers from the last 25 years.

http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/smallsat/

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/27/2015 10:25 am
Cubesats missions to demo Optical communications to ground station.

http://spacenews.com/aerospace-corp-is-thinking-big-on-small-satellites/

The Optical Communications Satellite Demonstration was Aerospace’s first NASA project. It was designed initially to demonstrate that cubesats could transmit data at a rate of five megabits per second to a ground station with a 30-centimeter diameter antenna. Now, the Aerospace team expects the satellites to transmit 200 megabits of data per second. “It’s not a whole lot more difficult to hit 200 megabits per second than it is to hit five,” Welle said. “So that’s what we are aiming for.”

Aerospace delivered the first Optical Communications Satellite Demonstration spacecraft to NASA in March. That satellite is scheduled to launch in August as a secondary payload on a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Organization payload.

- See more at: http://spacenews.com/aerospace-corp-is-thinking-big-on-small-satellites/#sthash.WlyboJZm.dpuf

Here is link to another company developing Optical Communciations for Cubesats.

http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=0&article=3082&context=smallsat&type=additional

Based on a data rate of 2Mbps x 10minute downlink each orbit that is 150MBytes, allow 30% over head and we talking 100Mbytes of data each 90 minute orbit per ground station. Aerospace Co 200mbps would give 10GB, per ground station. With data rate somewhere between 2-200Mbps, an average download rate of >10GB per day does seem achievable with a network of ground stations.

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/30/2015 06:55 pm
Another cubesat for EM-1.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/07/30/cubesat-study-solar-particles-set-em1-launch/#more-55949
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/04/2015 03:03 pm
NASA Deploys Satellite Designed to Re-enter Atmosphere Using Revamped Drag Device

http://www.nasa.gov/ames/nasa-deploys-satellite-designed-to-re-enter-atmosphere-using-revamped-drag-device/

NASA mission controllers confirmed that a small satellite launched from the International Space Station at 5:30 p.m. PST on Tuesday, March 3, has successfully entered its orbit, setting the stage to test technology that could enable rapid return of payloads from space. Over the next four weeks, the TechEdSat-4 satellite will deploy a second-generation exo-brake, an aerodynamic drag device, to perform a maneuver that will cause the satellite to de-orbit and re-enter Earth's atmosphere.

"The exo-brake is a self-stabilizing exospheric deorbiting mechanism that will allow us to return a payload to Earth fairly rapidly from an orbital platform, like the International Space Station," said Marcus Murbach, the TechEdSat-4 principal investigator at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. "We were able to send commands and receive data to and from the satellite via the onboard modem using only a laptop and email account. This capability may greatly benefit the entire nanosatellite community."

About 30 minutes after the Nanoracks CubeSat Deployer jettisoned it from the space station, the autonomous free-flying satellite powered on. At approximately 8 p.m., the spacecraft received a command via email and deployed its specially-designed parachute-like exo-brake, which operates as a passive drag device at the extremely low pressures found at the top of the atmosphere. Engineers also confirmed the satellite has demonstrated new satellite-to-satellite communications technologies to provide precise information about the spacecraft’s health and position. TechEdSat-4 arrived at the station aboard Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft July 16, 2014.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/05/2015 06:07 pm
Cubesats missions to demo Optical communications to ground station.

http://spacenews.com/aerospace-corp-is-thinking-big-on-small-satellites/

The Optical Communications Satellite Demonstration was Aerospace’s first NASA project. It was designed initially to demonstrate that cubesats could transmit data at a rate of five megabits per second to a ground station with a 30-centimeter diameter antenna. Now, the Aerospace team expects the satellites to transmit 200 megabits of data per second. “It’s not a whole lot more difficult to hit 200 megabits per second than it is to hit five,” Welle said. “So that’s what we are aiming for.”

Aerospace delivered the first Optical Communications Satellite Demonstration spacecraft to NASA in March. That satellite is scheduled to launch in August as a secondary payload on a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Organization payload.

- See more at: http://spacenews.com/aerospace-corp-is-thinking-big-on-small-satellites/#sthash.WlyboJZm.dpuf

Here is link to another company developing Optical Communciations for Cubesats.

http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=0&article=3082&context=smallsat&type=additional

Based on a data rate of 2Mbps x 10minute downlink each orbit that is 150MBytes, allow 30% over head and we talking 100Mbytes of data each 90 minute orbit per ground station. Aerospace Co 200mbps would give 10GB, per ground station. With data rate somewhere between 2-200Mbps, an average download rate of >10GB per day does seem achievable with a network of ground stations.
This ESA satellite network maybe of use to earth observation cubesats.
Sending their data via GEO relay satellites maybe a better way than direct to earth. Communications to relay satellites is more reliable, no weather interference, plus a relay satellite should be in view 100% time. Data can be download in realtime if needed.

http://spacenews.com/esa-notches-100th-high-speed-laser-link-between-satellites-48000-kilometers-apart/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/11/2015 03:26 pm
A 2000ISP thruster, 30g give 5kg cubesat 100m/s.

http://spacenews.com/smallsat-propulsion-company-wins-defense-department-contract/


http://www.accion-systems.com/max-1-small-satellite-product/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/12/2015 07:30 pm

http://spacenews.com/jpl-studies-missions-and-technologies-for-future-interplanetary-cubesats/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/13/2015 05:30 pm
Cubesat launchers may get all the glory but it is the rather uninteresting downlink that makes cubesats viable. Commercial cubesats are all about collecting data and getting it back to earth. Faster the downlink the more money a cubesat can make.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/08/13/planet-labs-awards-multiple-ground-station-antenna-systems-contract-l3-datron/#more-56147


Jeff Foust (@jeff_foust) tweeted at 10:49 AM on Wed, Aug 12, 2015:
David Rolenc, Real Time Logic: ground stations are always thought about last, and here we are in the last session of the day. #smallsat2015
(https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/631235963289636864)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/17/2015 02:48 pm


http://m.phys.org/news/2015-08-cubesats-revolutionizing-radio-science.html
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/24/2015 07:49 pm
Mars cubesat and microlanders.


http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2814/1
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/03/2015 09:52 am
This is just one of many of the shelf CubeSat spacecraft being developed or currently available. They are bit like a smartphone, provide everything, power, processing, navigation, propulsion, power and communications. As a customer all you do add your payload/app and find a ride. Not sure about communications with this LunarCube but I think they provide communications as well, at an on going fee I suspect.

Lunar orbital and asteroid missions just got a whole lot easier and a more affordable.

Busek, in partnership with Morehead State University (MSU), is developing a versatile 6U CubeSat platform nicknamed “LunarCube” that can undertake missions beyond LEO. The spacecraft can host a variety of science payloads, and its mission capability is highlighted by >3km/s of delta-V maneuverability with a groundbreaking ion propulsion system heretofore unavailable to CubeSats. Salient features of this propulsion system include innovative use of solid iodine propellant and a 60W class mini RF ion thruster that is capable of 1.3mN thrust and 3250sec specific impulse (Isp). The primary objective of the LunarCube program is to support a deep space CubeSat mission to the Moon from GEO or a translunar trajectory (such as the SLS/EM-1 drop-off) and carry out a lunar science campaign as a technology demonstration of the platform. A secondary objective is to showcase that much of the spacecraft’s miniaturized avionics and power system can survive the harsh radiation environment. The LunarCube concept, especially its ion propulsion element, has received significant attention from the CubeSat user community targeting near-term lunar flights. In fact, the platform has already morphed into an EM-1 CubeSat mission known as “Lunar IceCube”, selected for flight by NASA’s Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) program.

http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=0&article=3235&context=smallsat&type=additional
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/09/2015 08:39 pm
NASA Cube Quest Challenge.
This like an XPrize for lunar cubesat.

http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/centennial_challenges/cubequest/nasa-awards-first-round-prizes-in-cube-quest-challenge.html
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/17/2015 08:02 pm
Article doesn't say where the Q Space cubesat is going. I think it is just LEO as it only needs zero G

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/09/17/nasa-awards-ucf-deep-space-cubesat-mission/

HALO is one of few recent lunar cubesats mapping Hydrogen and water. In most cases these cubesats a testing new technology.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/09/16/nasa-selects-deep-space-cubesat-missions/


Hydrogen Albedo Lunar Orbiter (HALO) is a propulsion-driven 6U-class CubeSat that will answer critical questions about the lunar hydrogen cycle and the origin of water on the lunar surface by examining the reflected hydrogen in the moon’s solar wind. The principal investigator is Michael Collier of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland. - See more at: http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/09/16/nasa-selects-deep-space-cubesat-missions/#sthash.2fgqb113.dpuf
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Burninate on 09/20/2015 04:29 am
Two excellent review documents for the document furnaces:
http://usgif.org/system/uploads/3807/original/2015_Small_satellite_Working_Group_ADSJedit.pdf
http://ssl.mit.edu/files/website/theses/SM-2013-MarinanAnnie.pdf
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/23/2015 12:43 am
Technology demonstrator for self-deploying telescope. Another great use of cubesats for demonstration mission.   
Besides being a demo it may also result in a totally new way of creating large satellites from cubesats.

If it's taken 15 years to develop, and we expect a decade's worth of results out of it, shouldn't we already be working on its replacement now?
It is kind of being worked on. http://www.popsci.com/darpa-wants-robot-port-in-space
This is the way to put huge telescopes together in the future.

EDIT: more specifically. Technology demonstrator for self-deploying telescope

https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/a/aarest

Note that the concept is scalable, you could build arbitrarily large scopes like this, consisting of multiple launched payloads.

http://pellegrino.caltech.edu/AAReST_Docs/Ae105_Final_Presentation_2015.pdf
http://pellegrino.caltech.edu/AAReST_Docs/AAReST_Payload_CDR_Caltech.pdf
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/21/2015 08:33 pm
A gamma-ray spectroscope for cubesats. Just what Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries need for their asteriod prospecting satellites.

http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2015/11/new-detector-perfect-for-asteroid-mining/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: A_M_Swallow on 11/21/2015 10:08 pm
A gamma-ray spectroscope for cubesats. Just what Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries need for their asteriod prospecting satellites.

http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2015/11/new-detector-perfect-for-asteroid-mining/

I wonder if a spinoff version of the detector can be made that surveyors can put on the back of a truck and used in the field on Earth?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/25/2015 04:43 pm
The CATS plasma thruster is getting funding from DARPA for flight demo. I've be hoping this propulsion system would fly, along with a lot of interplanetary scientists I'm guessing.

Surprisingly DARPA's interest is long endurance LEO flights, not BLEO.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/11/25/phase/

Here is an older video on it.
Video from ISSC 2014.
First half of this video starting about 0:10 is on the CAT thruster. This is a plasma thruster for cubesats. With LEO to earth escape in 6months and DV of  up to 7km/s this propulsion system enables planetary missions using LEO launched cubesats.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/46819252

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: A_M_Swallow on 11/25/2015 10:10 pm
The CATS plasma thruster is getting funding from DARPA for flight demo. I've be hoping this propulsion system would fly, along with a lot of interplanetary scientists I'm guessing.

Surprisingly DARPA's interest is long endurance LEO flights, not BLEO.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/11/25/phase/

Here is an older video on it.
Video from ISSC 2014.
First half of this video starting about 0:10 is on the CAT thruster. This is a plasma thruster for cubesats. With LEO to earth escape in 6months and DV of  up to 7km/s this propulsion system enables planetary missions using LEO launched cubesats.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/46819252

I assume that this case study either describes the DARPA's mission or was used to sell the CAT to DARPA.

"Station keeping and operational life extension for a CubeSat Earth observation mission."

Cubesat Lifetime without propulsion is 308 days.  The CAT can provide a claimed extra 3.7 years in a 400 km orbit. Use Xenon as propellant for high thrust or water for high Isp.

http://www.phasefour.io/assets/p4_case_study_1_leo_72115.pdf (http://www.phasefour.io/assets/p4_case_study_1_leo_72115.pdf)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/26/2015 03:30 pm
The CATS plasma thruster is getting funding from DARPA for flight demo. I've be hoping this propulsion system would fly, along with a lot of interplanetary scientists I'm guessing.

Surprisingly DARPA's interest is long endurance LEO flights, not BLEO.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/11/25/phase/

Here is an older video on it.
Video from ISSC 2014.
First half of this video starting about 0:10 is on the CAT thruster. This is a plasma thruster for cubesats. With LEO to earth escape in 6months and DV of  up to 7km/s this propulsion system enables planetary missions using LEO launched cubesats.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/46819252

I assume that this case study either describes the DARPA's mission or was used to sell the CAT to DARPA.

"Station keeping and operational life extension for a CubeSat Earth observation mission."

Cubesat Lifetime without propulsion is 308 days.  The CAT can provide a claimed extra 3.7 years in a 400 km orbit. Use Xenon as propellant for high thrust or water for high Isp.

http://www.phasefour.io/assets/p4_case_study_1_leo_72115.pdf (http://www.phasefour.io/assets/p4_case_study_1_leo_72115.pdf)
It may be able to operate as low as 100-200km for extended periods.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: dkovacic on 11/26/2015 05:02 pm
The CATS plasma thruster is getting funding from DARPA for flight demo. I've be hoping this propulsion system would fly, along with a lot of interplanetary scientists I'm guessing.

Surprisingly DARPA's interest is long endurance LEO flights, not BLEO.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/11/25/phase/

Here is an older video on it.
Video from ISSC 2014.
First half of this video starting about 0:10 is on the CAT thruster. This is a plasma thruster for cubesats. With LEO to earth escape in 6months and DV of  up to 7km/s this propulsion system enables planetary missions using LEO launched cubesats.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/46819252

I assume that this case study either describes the DARPA's mission or was used to sell the CAT to DARPA.

"Station keeping and operational life extension for a CubeSat Earth observation mission."

Cubesat Lifetime without propulsion is 308 days.  The CAT can provide a claimed extra 3.7 years in a 400 km orbit. Use Xenon as propellant for high thrust or water for high Isp.

http://www.phasefour.io/assets/p4_case_study_1_leo_72115.pdf (http://www.phasefour.io/assets/p4_case_study_1_leo_72115.pdf)
Did you mean using Xenon for high Isp an water for high thrust?

UPDATE: I checked the source document, which really states that than Xe ISP is just 500s, three times lower than for water. This is strange.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: gosnold on 11/28/2015 10:01 am
The CATS plasma thruster is getting funding from DARPA for flight demo. I've be hoping this propulsion system would fly, along with a lot of interplanetary scientists I'm guessing.

Surprisingly DARPA's interest is long endurance LEO flights, not BLEO.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/11/25/phase/

Here is an older video on it.
Video from ISSC 2014.
First half of this video starting about 0:10 is on the CAT thruster. This is a plasma thruster for cubesats. With LEO to earth escape in 6months and DV of  up to 7km/s this propulsion system enables planetary missions using LEO launched cubesats.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/46819252

I assume that this case study either describes the DARPA's mission or was used to sell the CAT to DARPA.

"Station keeping and operational life extension for a CubeSat Earth observation mission."

Cubesat Lifetime without propulsion is 308 days.  The CAT can provide a claimed extra 3.7 years in a 400 km orbit. Use Xenon as propellant for high thrust or water for high Isp.

http://www.phasefour.io/assets/p4_case_study_1_leo_72115.pdf (http://www.phasefour.io/assets/p4_case_study_1_leo_72115.pdf)
Did you mean using Xenon for high Isp an water for high thrust?

UPDATE: I checked the source document, which really states that than Xe ISP is just 500s, three times lower than for water. This is strange.
And figure 1 is weird. It says the lifetime of the satellite is higher at 0km altitude than at 400km.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 01/06/2016 06:00 pm
Has anyone ever flown a CubeSAT with propulsion?

edit: I mean a propulsion system that actually worked.



Bump for 2016
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 01/07/2016 04:34 pm
Spacepharma developing cubesats to run biological and chemical experiments.

http://www.geektime.com/2015/10/25/want-to-test-stuff-out-in-space-with-swiss-israeli-spacepharma-you-can/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 01/07/2016 10:21 pm
It seems to me that there is an excess of supply in the market, compared with the number of missions intended to fly applications. It appears that applications developers still want to create their own platforms. Since we all live in a world where widespread adoption of standardized smartphone platforms like the IPhone and Android have encouraged developers to create applications, in our field the people who should be focused on applications spend their time making solar panels.

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: A_M_Swallow on 01/08/2016 04:29 am
It seems to me that there is an excess of supply in the market, compared with the number of missions intended to fly applications. It appears that applications developers still want to create their own platforms. Since we all live in a world where widespread adoption of standardized smartphone platforms like the IPhone and Android have encouraged developers to create applications, in our field the people who should be focused on applications spend their time making solar panels.



There is a standard for cubesats but currently not one for their 'payload bay'. A manufacture could write a user interface specification for the payload bay on their off the shelf cubesats.

They would have to specify maximum height, normal length and normal width, power available, connecting wires, cooling available, external holes for sensors, data connectors, data & message formats, data that the guidance system can supply such as time & location, commands available, data bandwidth to & from Earth and things like centre of gravity.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 01/13/2016 04:33 am
I found the answer to my question: the Brazilian Serpens Cubesats was deployed from ISS with a Clydespace Pulsed Plasma Thruster.

No idea if the thruster actually worked.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 01/26/2016 02:11 pm
The world’s first demonstration of autonomous spacecraft maneuvering was recently completed by Silicon Valley-based Deep Space Industries (DSI) and the Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) of Toronto, Canada. Using their highly-successful CanX-4 and CanX-5 pair of nanosatellites,


http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/01/25/dsi-utias-demonstrate-autonomous-spacecraft-maneuvering/#more-57349
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/27/2016 05:53 pm


http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/03/27/nasa-selects-cubsat-prjects-sbir-phase-ii-funding/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/31/2016 12:08 am
This has some SBIR cubesat technology awards in it.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/03/30/darpa-sbir-awards-xs1-rocket-technologies/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/07/2016 04:59 pm
Suncube, new miniature cubesat format. 3cm x 3cm.

https://asunow.asu.edu/20160406-creativity-asu-suncube-femtosat-space-exploration-for-everyone

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Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/22/2016 06:35 pm
NASA to commercialize solar sail for 6U cubesat.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/04/22/nasa-commercialize-solar-sail-technology/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/05/2016 05:01 am
Copied from another thread.


NASA’s $5.5M Cube Quest Challenge: Advancing Small Satellite Technology

NASA's Marshall Center

Published on May 4, 2016
The Cube Quest competition offers a total of $5.5 million to teams that meet the challenge objectives of designing, building and delivering flight-qualified, small satellites capable of advanced operations near and beyond the moon.

To learn more, visit http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/centennial_challenges/cubequest/index.html (http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/centennial_challenges/cubequest/index.html)

YouTube Location: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=A0GJ-1ZWyXE (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=A0GJ-1ZWyXE)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0GJ-1ZWyXE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0GJ-1ZWyXE)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/05/2016 09:33 pm
3U demonstrator from DSI. Water fueled thruster is 200isp, with 300g tank.

https://deepspaceindustries.com/prospector-x/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/06/2016 06:39 pm
Swarm satellites.

http://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/coming-soon-swarms-space-robots-180959020/

Weighing in at just 4 grams, the Sprites are basically flying, solar-powered circuit boards about the size of a Triscuit cracker, carrying a radio transceiver and small sensors.

Future missions could pack swarms of tiny spacecraft like FemtoSats and Sprites inside CubeSats, which in turn would ride to another planet along with a larger spacecraft.




Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: savuporo on 05/06/2016 07:46 pm
Has anyone ever flown a CubeSAT with propulsion?

edit: I mean a propulsion system that actually worked.



Bump for 2016

Yes, many.
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/goals/capability_inputs/AstroRecon_2015_SmallSat_Propulsion_Dankanich.pdf

http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/small_spacecraft_technology_state_of_the_art_2015_tagged_0.pdf
- see section 4, Propulsion.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: savuporo on 05/07/2016 10:46 pm
Here is a list:


CanX-2 2008, CanX-4/5 2014, Canada University of Toronto. Cold-gas
Almasat-1 2012, University of Bologna, Italy. Cold-gas.
STRaND-1 2013 , Surrey Space, UK. Water-alcohol resistojet and pulsed plasma thrusters
CUSat 1/2 2013, Cornell University, US. Pulsed plasma thrusters
DELFI-N3XT 2013, Delft University, Netherlands. Cold-gas
Wren 2013, StaDoKo, Germany. pulsed plasma thrusters, failed
ALICE  2013, Air Force Institute, US. CNT arrays, appears classified now
POPSAT-HIP1, 2014. Microspace, Singapore. Cold-gas
BRICSat-P 2015, United States Naval Academy/ GWU, US. micro-arc thruster, µCAT
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Skyrocket on 05/07/2016 11:34 pm
Here is a list:


CanX-2 2008, CanX-4/5 2014, Canada University of Toronto. Cold-gas
Almasat-1 2012, University of Bologna, Italy. Cold-gas.
STRaND-1 2013 , Surrey Space, UK. Water-alcohol resistojet and pulsed plasma thrusters
CUSat 1/2 2013, Cornell University, US. Pulsed plasma thrusters
DELFI-N3XT 2013, Delft University, Netherlands. Cold-gas
Wren 2013, StaDoKo, Germany. pulsed plasma thrusters, failed
ALICE  2013, Air Force Institute, US. CNT arrays, appears classified now
POPSAT-HIP1, 2014. Microspace, Singapore. Cold-gas
BRICSat-P 2015, United States Naval Academy/ GWU, US. micro-arc thruster, µCAT

Almasat, CUSat, Wren are not CubeSats and the CNTs on ALICE have no propulsive function.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: savuporo on 05/08/2016 12:09 am
Here is a list:


CanX-2 2008, CanX-4/5 2014, Canada University of Toronto. Cold-gas
Almasat-1 2012, University of Bologna, Italy. Cold-gas.
STRaND-1 2013 , Surrey Space, UK. Water-alcohol resistojet and pulsed plasma thrusters
CUSat 1/2 2013, Cornell University, US. Pulsed plasma thrusters
DELFI-N3XT 2013, Delft University, Netherlands. Cold-gas
Wren 2013, StaDoKo, Germany. pulsed plasma thrusters, failed
ALICE  2013, Air Force Institute, US. CNT arrays, appears classified now
POPSAT-HIP1, 2014. Microspace, Singapore. Cold-gas
BRICSat-P 2015, United States Naval Academy/ GWU, US. micro-arc thruster, µCAT

Almasat, CUSat, Wren are not CubeSats and the CNTs on ALICE have no propulsive function.

Appreciate the corrections - but isnt the exact form factor beside the point of functioning micropropulsion ?
Almasat-1 was the size of 6U, although it didn't follow the form factor. Wren was 1p PocketCube (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PocketQube) which is about half the dimensions of 1U. CUSats were about 12U equivalent, but again different form factor.
ALICE - yes, appears to have been more of a component test, and no details published post launch.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/18/2016 07:11 pm


Cubesat to big for your purposes, how about a Suncube at 3x3x3cm. A 1U can carry 9 Sun cubes. 


http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2984/1


Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: A_M_Swallow on 05/18/2016 08:28 pm


Cubesat to big for your purposes, how about a Suncube at 3x3x3cm. A 1U can carry 9 Sun cubes. 


http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2984/1


Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk



I suspect that it can carry 27 cubes (33).

At this size can the metal boxes be replaced by a light weight plastic such as Kevlar?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/19/2016 01:06 am
My mistake only thinking 2D not 3D forgot the other 2 layers.

With these SunCubes and a few cubesats a planetary orbiter could use shotgun approach to sampling. Deploy a few cubesats which in turn would use SunCubes for expendable sensing missions. Each Cubesat could be loaded with a mix bag of SunCubes giving some redundancy especially if a Cubesat is lost. The SunCubes would do the sampling while Cubesat would act as comms relay to mother ship orbiter.

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/19/2016 07:33 pm
NRO using cubesats and smallsats for real missions not just technology demonstrators.

 http://spacenews.com/nro-planning-shift-to-smaller-satellites-new-ground-system/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: catdlr on 05/20/2016 05:37 pm
Two CubeSats Deployed from the International Space Station

Published on May 20, 2016
This movie of a CubeSat deployment from the International Space Station shows a compilation of photos taken by astronauts on May 16, 2016. The bottom-most CubeSat is the NASA-funded MinXSS CubeSat, built by the University of Colorado in Boulder. MinXSS observes soft X-rays from the sun. Such X-rays can disturb the ionosphere and thereby hamper radio and GPS signals. The second CubeSat is CADRE — short for CubeSat investigating Atmospheric Density Response to Extreme driving - built by the University of Michigan and funded by the National Science Foundation.

Credit: NASA

https://youtu.be/YoErE4wneiQ
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/05/2016 09:41 pm
Nice see TU Hydos making process.


http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/08/03/tethers-unlimited-signs-contracts-deliver-hydros-waterpropelled-thrusters/

Typical DV for cubesat would be 100-300m/s but with large enough tank 2km/s.

Title: Re: Moon Express MX-1
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/06/2016 03:59 am
This is link to CAT plasma thruster about the only cubesat propulsion system that I know of capable of >3km/s (7km/s?). Still a while away from flying. There are some systems close to 3km/s, may do earth escape but leaves nothing in tank for mission.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=35143.msg1227561.msg#1227561

It looks like the University of Michigan has licensed Phase Four to manufacture the CAT thruster.
 ΔV 0.2 - 8km/sec
http://www.phasefour.io/cat-engine.html (http://www.phasefour.io/cat-engine.html)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/10/2016 10:52 am
Deep Space Industries Comet1 propulsion system.
This uses superheated water to generate thrust, ISP 150-200ISP.

http://deepspaceindustries.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/DSI_Comet1_Thruster_Specs_4.pdf
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: bolun on 08/18/2016 09:01 am
How to dock CubeSats

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering_Technology/How_to_dock_CubeSats

CubeSat rendezvous and docking (video)

http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Videos/2016/08/CubeSat_rendezvous_and_docking
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: joncz on 08/18/2016 11:26 am
Suncube, new miniature cubesat format. 3cm x 3cm.

https://asunow.asu.edu/20160406-creativity-asu-suncube-femtosat-space-exploration-for-everyone

Sent from my ALCATEL ONE TOUCH 6030X using Tapatalk

https://asunow.asu.edu/20160506-nasa-selects-asu-undergraduate-cubesat-project-measure-phoenix-urban-heat-islands

My son is the tall guy in the center of the second team photo.  :D
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/18/2016 03:25 pm

Article on Clyde space and their production line manufacturing of Cubesat.

http://www.satellitetoday.com/nextspace/2016/08/17/clyde-space-ceo-no-slowdown-cubesat-demand-horizon/?utm_content=buffer40acf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer#.V7TmfRMBo80.twitter

The company thinks it will be big satellite operators eg SES, Thaicom etc that will invest heavily in smallsats in near future.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/09/2016 09:59 pm


http://www.satellitetoday.com/nextspace/2016/08/19/first-virtual-reality-camera-satellite-locks-2017-launch/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/09/2016 10:05 pm


London pegged that number at 16 CubeSats ( equatorial orbit )for this demonstration. At a reasonable altitude, he said this number would provide the level of coverage the Army is seeking to prove at a targeted price point. He acknowledged that the halo would not cover a huge percentage of the Earth, but said that it would reach important areas of responsibility within U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), Africa Command (USAFRICOM), and parts of Pacific Command (USPACOM).


Some of the challenges the Army faces in fielding this system are sufficient launch capability and operating a ground segment that can run demonstration satellites. Previously, the Army pursued it’s own launch system, the three-stage Multipurpose NanoMissile System (MNMS) program, as well as the JCTD Soldier-Warfighter Operationally Responsive Deployer for Space (SWORDS), but ultimately decided both were too expensive to continue. London said launching to an equatorial orbit remains a challenge, but expressed confidence that commercial systems such as Orbital ATK’s Pegasus and Virgin Galactic’s LauncherOne could possibly provide such a service for the military in the future.

http://www.satellitetoday.com/regional/2016/09/09/army-weighs-ring-cubesats-next-satellite-demonstration/

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/16/2016 08:30 pm
http://www.space.com/34088-water-propelled-cubesat-moon-cornell-video.html?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_campaign=socialtwitterspc&cmpid=social_spc_514648#?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=2016twitterdlvrit


The "Cislunar Explorers" are a team of Cornell University graduate and undergraduate students that are working on a cubesat design that will electrolyze water in its tank and turn it into combustible hydrogen and oxygen gas.

NB these are not only people doing this, check out Tethers Unlimited Hydros on post #188.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: savuporo on 11/04/2016 01:46 am
https://twitter.com/OxfordSpace/status/793505528844517377

Quote
Industry record: AstroTube, world's longest retractable cubesat boom system successfully deployed. Thanks to all who made it possible!
Background:
http://spaceflight101.com/pslv-c35/alsat-nano/

Quote
AstroTube is a test of the world’s longest retractable boom compatible with the CubeSat form factor. In this test flight, it deploys to a length of two meters and only occupies the volume of a packet of cigarettes when in its stowed configuration. Boom technology for small satellites is an important part for future passive deorbiting systems.

The boom system requires around 0.5U of volume and supports a high-precision deployment with an accuracy of +/-0.25 millimeters. The boom itself consists of composite material and allows for partial deployment without losing structural integrity. Possible applications of the boom are for payload deployment and retraction, solar panel and antenna deployment, and deorbit structures. Because the boom is deployed with a motor and does not have any stored energy, its deployment will avoid any shocks to the satellite structure and its instruments.

A scaled-up version of the boom design known as AstroTube Max can support lengths of 12 meters.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/04/2016 03:51 pm
Given cubesats are built on smartphone technology, it was only matter of time before somebody gave them a selfie stick.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: savuporo on 11/04/2016 04:25 pm
Given cubesats are built on smartphone technology, it was only matter of time before somebody gave them a selfie stick.

Haha ... but most cubesats are not built on 'smartphone technology' - most of them run much lower end SoCs than you find in smartphones. Mostly simply modern 32-bit MCUs and FPGA's, not highly integrated applications processors like you find in phones. With many exceptions of course
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/06/2016 05:35 pm
SLS EM1 mission cubesat and their technology from Von Braun Symposium.

 http://livestream.com/accounts/563450/events/6533675/videos/140210586

NASA developed a few new technologies for these cubesat,  most importantly rad harden electronic,  deepspace radio and star tracker. These 3 technologies give them core of deepspace cubesat. Just add propulsion and payload to suit mission.

For planetary missions they may deploy cubesats in flocks 1-2 for earth comms with others carrying specific payloads.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: savuporo on 11/06/2016 06:31 pm
SLS EM1 mission cubesat and their technology from Von Braun Symposium.

I believe i saw many recycled slides from here in this talk ( Nov 2015 ):
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/Status-of-AES-tagged.pdf
Also panelists:
Quote
Payloads for SLS’ Exploration Missions
Moderator: Steve Creech, Deputy Manager, Spacecraft/Payload Integration and
Evolution, Space Launch System Program, NASA MSFC
Panelists:
- Jitendra Joshi, Lead for Technology Integration, Advanced Exploration Systems Division, Human Exploration & Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Barry Goldstein, Manager, Europa Project, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Joseph Pelfrey, Manager, Exploration and Space Transportation Development Office, NASA MSFC
- Monsi Roman, Centennial Challenges Program Manager, NASA Headquarters

Its shaping up to be a significant spacecraft technology development launch. There are 3 more in the process of being ironed out

http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/centennial_challenges/30k-awarded-in-third-round-of-cube-quest-challenge

USAF STP-2 is another significant technology advancement launch with many very significant potential advances on it .. now which one will actually fly first, if ever ?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/06/2016 10:54 pm
This week we talk with Emory Stagmer about small satellites, what they mean to the industry, some of the issues holding them back today and what Northrup Grumman is doing to help bring reliability and sustainability to the small sat market.

https://www.tmro.tv/2016/10/30/future-market-small-sats/

Northrup Grumman are using they years of satellite expertise to great rad harden cubesat platforms for low $Ms. Another potential for BLEO missions with lives measured in years (>5yrs?).

All we need now is a smallsat LV with a third stage(doesn't exist ye) capable of providing earth escape for a few 6U cubesats and dedicated planetary science missions for <$20M start to become a reality. 
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/25/2016 04:10 pm

When the cube opens, an antenna pops out and its ribs extend from a canister to spread out a golden mesh. The RainCube antenna has to be small enough to be crammed into a 1.5U container (1U, a CubeSat unit, is roughly equivalent to a 4-inch cubic box, or 10 x 10 x 10 cubic centimeters).

http://www.space.com/34807-cubesats-pack-origami-radar-dish.html?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_campaign=socialtwitterspc&cmpid=social_spc_514648
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: savuporo on 01/16/2017 08:29 pm
Planetary Society made a summary page with LightSail build details:

http://sail.planetary.org/resources.html

EDIT: and reading the chapter about operations:
https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/projects/lightsail/papers/betts-et-al-2017-ls1-results.pdf

Pretty sketchy, seems like quite a bit of ground testing and planning could have been done better. Live and learn.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/20/2017 05:04 pm


http://parabolicarc.com/2017/03/17/astronauts-deploy-experimental-exo-brake-satellite-iss/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/21/2017 04:27 pm

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2017/03/14/cubesat-sbir-phase-ii/

he selected projects range from antennas to mono-propellants to solar arrays. The proposals include:

Loop Heat Pipe Manufacturing via DMLS for CubeSAT Applications – Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc., Lancaster, PADRG-Based CubeSat Inertial Reference Unit (DCIRU) — Applied Technology Associates, Albuquerque, NM200W Deep Space CubeSat Composite Beam Roll-Up Solar Array (COBRA) — Composite Technology Development, Lafayette, COKa-Band Klystron Amplifier for CUBESATs — e beam, Inc., Beaverton, ORUltracapacitor Based Power Supply for CubeSats — FastCAP Systems Corporation, Boston, MAKa-Band Electronically Steered CubeSat Antenna — Kymeta Government Solutions, Redmond, WAGreen Monopropellant Propulsion for Small Spacecrafts — Plasma Processes, LLC, Huntsville, Ala.Bonding and Analysis of Composite TRAC Booms for NASA Science Missions — ROCCOR, LLC, Longmont, COHigh Frequency Reflective Mesh for Small Aperture Antennas — Tendeg, LLC, Louisville, COMonofilament Vaporization Propulsion (MVP) System — CU Aerospace, LLC, Champaign, IL

Summaries of the proposals follow.

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/30/2017 09:25 am
Electric thruster for cubesat.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2017/03/29/exoterra-privately-owned-space-company-fly-asteroid/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: savuporo on 04/18/2017 05:32 am
http://www.intersmallsatconference.com coming up in May 1-2 in San Jose, CA.

Booklet : http://www.intersmallsatconference.com/ISSC2017-booklet.pdf
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: savuporo on 05/07/2017 09:06 pm
Day 2 of the conference here. Some interesting panels

https://livestream.com/accounts/20480259/events/7322038/videos/155440786

Day 1 doesn't seem to be archived.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/09/2017 06:05 am
There are some other posts a lot further back on this thruster, nice to see it is finally going to fly.

http://spacenews.com/phase-fours-smallsat-plasma-thruster-finds-a-ride-to-space/


Here is there Web pages

http://www.phasefour.io/rft/

Google CATV Plasma Thruster for some more links and videos.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/18/2017 05:57 pm
http://www.satellitetoday.com/regional/2017/05/17/lithuania-start-test-new-cubesat-propulsion-system/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Via_Satellite&utm_content=Lithuania%20Start-Up%20to%20Test%20New%20CubeSat%20Propulsion%20System
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/22/2017 04:05 pm
Lunar 6U cubesat

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2017/05/22/cube-quest-challenge-team-spotlight-ragnarok-industries/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/27/2017 11:41 pm
Accion Systems ion thruster. I've covered this thruster elsewhere this thread.

Watch "TMRO:Space - The small Ion thruster that could change space travel  - Orbit 10.14" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/R8cX5-xq2Zo

These small thrusters would also allow cubesats to operate at lower altitudes giving better imaging and reducing end off life deorbit to months.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/06/2017 06:50 pm
300W cubesat ion thruster demo.

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-establishes-new-public-private-partnerships-to-advance-us-commercial-space

Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/16/2017 09:19 am
Ion thruster for cubesats

http://thrustme.fr/

http://spacenews.com/french-startup-raises-1-9-million-for-smallsat-electric-propulsion/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: A_M_Swallow on 06/16/2017 02:46 pm
The CAT Thruster now called the Radio Frequency Thruster and manufactured by Phase Four

http://www.phasefour.io/rft (http://www.phasefour.io/rft)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/16/2017 10:27 pm
Magna Parva Technology have developed 3D printing technology that allows a smallsat (cubesat?) to create 100m booms. The video deploys 4 boom antenna for triangulation of radio signals.

https://vimeo.com/212878439

https://inspacemanufacturing.com/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/20/2017 06:11 pm
A good article on how earth observation smallsats are being used for business.

They forgot about early forest fire detection. Easily save few $100M a year in US alone.

https://www.fastcompany.com/40425808/how-tiny-satellites-are-changing-the-way-we-do-business
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/21/2017 12:27 am

Open Cosmos says it can build and launch cubesats in a fraction of the time, and at a fraction of the cost, of other companies through the use of standardized hardware and software. - See more at: http://spacenews.com/british-startup-offers-low-cost-cubesat-services/#sthash.EcLp4jYk.dpuf

http://spacenews.com/british-startup-offers-low-cost-cubesat-services/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: savuporo on 06/21/2017 01:06 am

Open Cosmos says it can build and launch cubesats in a fraction of the time, and at a fraction of the cost ..

Weeelll
Quote
The company says its all-inclusive costs start at £500,000 ($637,000) for a 3U cubesat..

I guess 9/12ths is a fraction.

Quote
..which it claims is as little as one-tenth the cost of alternative providers.
Really now ? I don't think anyone is paying a cool five million for a regular 3U cubesat.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/13/2017 04:50 pm
Suucessful in space demo of deorbiting sail for cubesats.

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/mediacentre/press/2017/surrey-space-centre-celebrates-successful-operation-inflatesail-satellite
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: savuporo on 07/24/2017 04:24 am
Came across an interesting RF startup

https://akashsystemsinc.com/technology/

http://www.mwrf.com/materials/satellite-start-thinks-power-amplifiers-are-better-diamond
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/01/2017 01:00 am


https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-proposals-for-advancing-adaptive-space-robotics-3-d-printing-and-other

A second study involves a new generation of CubeSats that take advantage of in-situ resources -- living off the land -- while exploring space. The proposal combines existing CubeSat technology with 3-D printing technology and an in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) water extraction system. The 3-D printing technology enables development of steam thrusters, as well as tanks that fit within the available space within the CubeSat. The ISRU module captures and extracts water, and takes advantage of the heat generated by the CubeSat electronics system, with supplemental power from solar charged batteries.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/02/2017 06:25 am
iodine-fueled-ion-engines-pass-major-milestone

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2017/08/01/iodine-fueled-ion-engines-pass-major-milestone/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: catdlr on 08/02/2017 04:08 pm
NASA Set To Launch Shoebox-sized Satellite Studying Earth's Upper Atmosphere

NASA Goddard
Published on Aug 2, 2017

NASA scientists and engineers named their new CubeSat after the mythological Norse god of the dawn. Now, just days from launch, they are confident the shoebox-sized satellite Dellingr will live up to its name and inaugurate a new era for scientists wanting to use small, highly reliable satellites to carry out important, and in some cases, never-before-tried science. Dellingr will study how the ionosphere, a region in Earth’s upper atmosphere, interacts with the Sun. Before launch, Dellingr is required to visit the Magnetic Test Facility at NASA Goddard to test the spacecraft’s magnetometers - key instruments for measuring the direction and strength of the magnetic fields that surround Earth. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch this August aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station where it will be deployed later into a low-Earth orbit.

Music credit: ‘Cycle of Life’ by Philippe Lhommet [SACEM] from Killer Tracks

This video is public domain and along with other supporting visualizations can be downloaded from the Scientific Visualization Studio at: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12602

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Joy Ng

https://youtu.be/v2cOGbpJV4Q?t=001

https://youtu.be/v2cOGbpJV4Q
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/04/2017 10:00 am
Another ion drive this time from Gilmour.

http://www.spacetechasia.com/gilmour-space-completes-first-four-tests-for-worlds-first-interplanetary-cubesat-propulsion-system/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/09/2017 10:14 am
NASA helping to improve cubesat reliabilty.

http://spacenews.com/cubesat-reliability-a-growing-issue-as-industry-matures/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/09/2017 10:35 am
Accion Systems, York Space Systems to Develop Standardized Propulsion System


http://www.parabolicarc.com/2017/08/08/accion-systems-york-space-systems-develop-standardized-propulsion-system/#undefined.uxfs
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/03/2017 07:48 am
Interplanetary cubesat mission proposals

https://icubesat.org/archive/2017-2/icubesat-program-2017/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: mtakala24 on 09/04/2017 05:22 pm
Interplanetary cubesat mission proposals

https://icubesat.org/archive/2017-2/icubesat-program-2017/

If you look closely enough, there is a familiar name in there... :)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/29/2017 08:27 am
Planet are testing new proplusion system on their Doves.

The nano propulsion system is known as Indium Field Emission Electric Propulsion. This propulsion system consists of a 250-gram cylinder of indium, associated heaters, ion generator mechanism, and beam neutralizer mechanism. Thrust is generated by the acceleration of ions via an applied electric field between an emitter crown and extractor electrode. The expected thrust is 350 micro-Newtons (uN), and there is a total of 5000 Newton-second total impulse capability for up to 1415 m/s velocity change for the 5 kg Dove Turbo satellite.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: savuporo on 10/29/2017 05:44 pm
By the way, Minotaur will be launching another 6 SkySats on October 31st with operational "Green Propulsion" aka ECAPS HPGP or LMP-103s. That is, a fully flight tested substitute for hydrazine monoprop, in commercial use.

Those will join an existing constellation of SkySat-3 through 7, which have accumulated significant on orbit life now.

In December 2016, SkySat-7 experienced a thrusters firing anomaly, which was quickly resolved by a software change.


Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/30/2017 10:44 pm
This SpaceNews Article (http://spacenews.com/hydrazine-ban-could-cost-europes-space-industry-billions/) where Arianegroup sounds the alarm bell about the possible Hydrazine ban.
I'm sorry Arianegroup you should just invest some more in thruster development!

The article is contradiction with Bradford ECAPS (http://ecaps.space/). And there is also LMP-106, and the USA one. (It's true these have to be pre heated.)
And lets not forget HTP (that was competing with hydrazine form the start).
HTP - hydro carbon could be a replacement for toxic bi-propallent hypergolics. (Or Masten's MXP-351)

This was also a bit stupid in my oppinion: SpaceNews, Arianegroup .. smallsat standardisation... (http://spacenews.com/arianegroup-futurist-sees-smallsat-standardization-as-key-for-timely-launch/).
 ??? The larger segment is already standardized:
Cubesats 0.25-16U    (pocket cubes 1-4 P) [a loaded 12U/16U cubesat deployer ~32.5kg]
Here they have a point: ~30kg (or a 12/16U box); 50kg (or 100lbf/45kg); 75kg ; 100kg (or 90kg/200lbf)
ESPA (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EELV_Secondary_Payload_Adapter) 15" ring; 180kg (400lbf)
ESPA Grande, 24" ring; 300kg (660lbf)

OneWeb sat's as well as SpaceX sat's will indeed become standard busses.
Let's add this chart I made with a list of small sat buses.
Indeed the NORSAT's were troublesome, but it's strange GLAVCOSMOS/ECM could launch them without trouble.
This post is a bit OT, you may want to move it to more appropriate thread.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/06/2017 10:35 pm
Article about cubesats that don't work and possible common faults.


http://www.thespacereview.com/article/3364/1
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/16/2017 02:08 am
Three  cubesat technology demo missions that are on Cygnus now.

Laser coms to earth.
Formation flying.
ISARA
"To the best of his knowledge, ISARA will be the first in-space demonstration of a reflectarray antenna as well as that of an integrated antenna and solar array. "

Not clear but I think array is etch to back of solar array. So back needs to face ground station. At 100Mps it is huge improvement over existing cubesat comms and best of all comes almost mass free with solar arrays.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2017/11/15/nasa-cubesat-missions-pushing-boundaries-technology/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 12/20/2017 03:19 pm
Richard White, the President of SSL Government Systems, added that the Payload Orbital Delivery System was developed as an innovative solution for smallsats that need to reach GEO and beyond. The PODS system helps to provide flight opportunities for cost-capped missions that wouldn’t otherwise be feasible.

http://www.satnews.com/story.php?number=1682180685

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Olaf on 12/26/2017 12:35 pm
http://iss.jaxa.jp/en/kuoa/news/171120_ssta_jaxa_en.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
The "Kibo" utilization of Singapore begins
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 01/03/2018 03:08 am
Just general state of nation article about cubesats.

http://interactive.satellitetoday.com/via/march-2017/market-innovation-driving-cubesats-into-the-mainstream/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Olaf on 01/05/2018 08:51 am
For all, who are interested in CubeSats:
http://www.nanosats.eu/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: oldAtlas_Eguy on 01/09/2018 08:37 pm
I came across a device in my perusal of a electronics parts flyers.

TDK ICM-20602

This is a full 6 axis IMU sensor that is in a 3mmX3mmX0.75mm size in a 16 pin LGA,

Primarily this device would be for robotic end effectors and other robotic moving parts or motion sensing controller/phone devices. But it could also be used by Cubesats. The price is definitely right for school projects: $99 for the complete kit with board that has a MCU with built in debugger and software for programming a full up IMU in a size that would easily fit in a Cubesat.

This is the direction things are going in for such sensors. Although this sensor is not a LV quality sensor but for a Cubesat that can use GPS to keep it calibrated it would be good enough for most pointing applications.

The price is for a commercial kit for a commercial application in single quantity. Pointing accuracy though is still just +/-1% but for the low end Cubesat projects again having a full IMU capability vs none at all could make the project successful.

I do image there are more accurate IMU sensors of similar size and with MIL-SPEC ratings for significantly larger price but not any significance in form factor size.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/22/2018 10:02 pm

Cubesat laser communications development by MIT. See 3rd presenter.

https://www.media.mit.edu/videos/beyond-the-cradle-2018-03-10-a/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/17/2018 06:02 am
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2018-072&rn=news.xml&rst=7097

The ASTERIA satellite, which was deployed into low-Earth orbit in November, is only slightly larger than a box of cereal, but it could be used to help astrophysicists study planets orbiting other stars.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Rik ISS-fan on 04/19/2018 09:51 pm
On March 22th and 23th the second PocketQube Workshop (http://www.delfispace.nl/pocketqube-workshop) was organised by TU Delft. Most of the presentations can be viewed on Alba Orbital youtube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkXDqiXSxXC_8eBzN62bNaA/videos) channel.

Some of the interesting stuff about pocketcubes.
At TU Delft they are developing a new PQ9 (https://github.com/DelfiSpace/PQ9-Template) Interface standard. On the website of GauseSrl there are presentations from the 4th IAA University Satellite Missions & CubeSat Workshop. (https://www.gaussteam.com/conferences/4th-iaa-conference/conference-presentations/) This presentation is about the PQ-9 interface standard (https://www.gaussteam.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/IAA-AAS-CU-17-07-03-M.%C5%9E.Uludag.pdf).

Another interesting development from Delft University of Technology is the satellite component search engine:
satsearch.co (https://satsearch.co/)
It's explained in this presentation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk5wKk-hYBY&feature=youtu.be  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk5wKk-hYBY&feature=youtu.be)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/30/2018 04:20 pm
100Mbps 0.3U laser comms terminal for cubesats.


https://www.tesat.de/en/media-center/press/news/699-pi1288-world-s-smallest-laser-communication-terminal-from-tesat-on-track-cdr-for-cubel-successfully-held
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/04/2018 08:32 pm
www.parabolicarc.com/2018/05/04/nasas-dellingr-spacecraft-baselined-pathfinding-cubesat-mission-van-allen-belts/

Dellingr-X’s all-important command and data handling and electrical power systems will be radiation tolerant;

This is a must for BLEO missions using  cubesats and smallsats.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: deruch on 05/05/2018 08:33 pm
We just saw the first launch of CubeSats into deep space!  MarCO A/B launched together with Insight on a flyby trajectory of Mars.  In addition to their pioneering path and operations, they are also demonstrating quite a lot of new tech for CubeSats--a deployable reflectarray antenna for high gain X-band communications (it's a passive phased array), a software defined radio capable of full communications with DSN, and a new cold-gas propulsion system. 


https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/insight/appendix/mars-cube-one/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/07/2018 02:55 pm


Explore Deep Space (@XploreDeepSpace) tweeted at 11:45 PM on Mon, May 07, 2018:
Now that @NASA has shown the viability of auto X-ray navigation in space, plans are in work to include the tech on a CubeSat mission to the #Moon & engineers are now studying the possibly of adding the capability to human-exploration spacecraft. MORE: https://t.co/mxhwVRIURm https://t.co/g28shub1qM


The system works by detect X-ray emissions of pulsar stars, kind of like X-ray version of optical star tracker system.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/18/2018 10:18 pm
http://www.parabolicarc.com/2018/05/18/small-packages-test-big-space-technology-advances/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/25/2018 06:08 pm


spacenews.com/smallsats-driving-innovation-in-propulsion-technologies/

During a panel session at the Space Tech Expo conference here May 23, executives with several propulsion startups said that the demands for propulsion that can meet mass, volume and power constraints of small satellites were helping drive innovation in this field.


Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/25/2018 06:10 pm
spacenews.com/phase-four-wins-nasa-and-commercial-deals-for-electric-propulsion-system/

Its nice to see this propulsion system fly, I've been following them for years, see earlier posts on CAT thruster.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: gongora on 05/25/2018 06:51 pm
spacenews.com/phase-four-wins-nasa-and-commercial-deals-for-electric-propulsion-system/

Its nice to see this propulsion system fly, I've been following them for years, see earlier posts on CAT thruster.

Also see https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=38551.msg1810180#msg1810180 for this one (test sat on SSO-A)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/08/2018 09:11 pm
The MagTag concept has few applications for cubesats but also any satellite or in space, especially persistent platforms.With something like this Lego satellites maybe real possibility.

If I understand it correctly its magnetic coupling which can can electrical connections and lower pressure fluids. Ideal for refuelling but may also be capable of cooling fluid transfer. Think it uses electromagnet to active and deactive magnetic couple, once coupled no power is needed.

www.parabolicarc.com/2018/06/08/altius-space-machines-selected-2-sbir-phase-1-awards/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: gongora on 06/19/2018 03:46 pm
0476-EX-CN-2018 AAReST

Quote
The AAReST mission has been developed to meet the goals and objectives above. The satellite is a prime
focus design (1.2 m focal length, 0.3°field-of-view) with the primary mirror divided up into a sparse aperture
consisting of an arrangement of 10 cm diameter circular mirrors. The primary mirror segments are attached to
a cluster of CubeSats, two of which are able to undock from the cluster and navigate independently. The
telescope would launch as a small secondary payload in a stowed state. The stowed volume of the telescope is
approximately 0.3 m x 0.4 m x 0.5 m. After separation from the primary payload, the telescope would deploy its
camera package at the end of a 1.2 m long hinged composite boom to the focus of the mirror array.

Using wavefront sensors, the deformable mirrors would be adjusted and calibrated in order to
minimize the size of the mirrors’ individual point spread function (PSF). The mirrors would not be co-phased
down to subwavelength levels, as would be required for a more advanced science mission, as this would require
an additional metrology system that is prohibitively expensive for a small mission such as this. Instead, images
would be taken to demonstrate the ability of the mirrors to self-correct their shape, as well as the ability to repoint
and correct the individual PSFs.

Once the initial calibration and imaging demonstration is completed, two of the mirror segments, which
are carried by independent CubeSats, would detach from the mirror cluster and then re-dock to the cluster in a
different configuration. This would demonstrate on-orbit assembly of the mirror segments. Once the cluster is
reassembled, the mirror calibration and imaging would be performed again in order to show the capability of
calibration in two mirror configurations.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/29/2018 07:32 pm
Developed under a Small Business Innovation Research contract from the US Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command, the SWIFT-KTX transmitter builds upon TUI’s high-maturity SWIFT software defined radio platform to enable satellites as small as a loaf of bread to transmit data at rates exceeding 100 megabits per second (Mbps).


www.parabolicarc.com/2018/06/29/tethers-unlimited-delivers-swift-kband-cubesat-transmitter/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/30/2018 09:39 pm
I've been following TU and there HYDROS-C tbruster development for while, nice to see it fly. Can generate high thrust for very short time if need ie 1.5N for about 1sec before recharging its H and O gas storage by electrolysis of water. Most of time it would use lot lower thrust levels, but nice to have extra boost on tap if needed.

www.parabolicarc.com/2018/06/30/nasa-selects-tuis-hydrosc-thruster-ptd-cubesat-mission/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/10/2018 03:30 pm
Smallsat Launch U standard.

www.parabolicarc.com/2018/08/09/launch-unit-standards-announced-smallsats/

This sizing standard was to help simplify an lower launch costs for smallsat. Much same as U sizing standard has done for cubesats and containers for goods shipping.

Unlike cubesats smallsats come in lots of different shapes and sizes. The standard still allows for this but limits their outer dimensions for launch.
The physical limits are 45 cm x 45 cm x 60 cm and 60-80kg.

As long as they meet these standards and usual LV safety standards, switching between LVs at short notice shouldn't be issue.


Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/27/2018 08:24 am
Smallsats and cubesats for planetary missions BLEO.

www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/08/tiny-spacecraft-are-breaking-out-earth-s-orbit
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: jongoff on 08/27/2018 07:51 pm
Smallsats and cubesats for planetary missions BLEO.

www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/08/tiny-spacecraft-are-breaking-out-earth-s-orbit

We just presented our paper (mentioned in the depot thread in this NSF category) on using micro depots to enable smallsat launch vehicles to do dedicated deep space launch. I'll link to the article and the writeup in another thread once we've put our finishing touches on it, but it's relevant to this planetary/BLEO smallsats discussion--we were getting results suggesting you could use a LauncherOne (refueled on-orbit with a dry-launched/LEO-fueled storable biprop kick stage) to send an 90-450kg net payload almost anywhere in the inner solar system, out to Jupiter.

~Jon
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: mtakala24 on 08/29/2018 01:07 pm
I'm also involved in a conceptual project, currently we are trying to get it funded as-is, or with collaboration with other instruments.
https://arxiv.org/abs/1805.01750 (accepted in Advances in Space Research)
and
https://arxiv.org/abs/1709.04309 (accept decision from IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems arrived today)
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/29/2018 07:07 pm
Smallsats and cubesats for planetary missions BLEO.

www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/08/tiny-spacecraft-are-breaking-out-earth-s-orbit

We just presented our paper (mentioned in the depot thread in this NSF category) on using micro depots to enable smallsat launch vehicles to do dedicated deep space launch. I'll link to the article and the writeup in another thread once we've put our finishing touches on it, but it's relevant to this planetary/BLEO smallsats discussion--we were getting results suggesting you could use a LauncherOne (refueled on-orbit with a dry-launched/LEO-fueled storable biprop kick stage) to send an 90-450kg net payload almost anywhere in the inner solar system, out to Jupiter.

~Jon
The alternative to refuelling is to deliver earth departure stage on separate flight, rendezvous in orbit and move satellite to earth departure stage. Mission complexity is not lot different, still need to rendezvous, just trade between swapping fuel and payload(satellite).

If done at an unmmanned robotic station, then robotic capabilities of station could help reduce risk. Checkout the satellite before sending BLEO or do minor repairs. The station would also allow for assembly of satellite, eg add large lite weight solar array built at station.

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: jongoff on 08/29/2018 09:54 pm
Smallsats and cubesats for planetary missions BLEO.

www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/08/tiny-spacecraft-are-breaking-out-earth-s-orbit

We just presented our paper (mentioned in the depot thread in this NSF category) on using micro depots to enable smallsat launch vehicles to do dedicated deep space launch. I'll link to the article and the writeup in another thread once we've put our finishing touches on it, but it's relevant to this planetary/BLEO smallsats discussion--we were getting results suggesting you could use a LauncherOne (refueled on-orbit with a dry-launched/LEO-fueled storable biprop kick stage) to send an 90-450kg net payload almost anywhere in the inner solar system, out to Jupiter.

~Jon
The alternative to refuelling is to deliver earth departure stage on separate flight, rendezvous in orbit and move satellite to earth departure stage. Mission complexity is not lot different, still need to rendezvous, just trade between swapping fuel and payload(satellite).

If done at an unmmanned robotic station, then robotic capabilities of station could help reduce risk. Checkout the satellite before sending BLEO or do minor repairs. The station would also allow for assembly of satellite, eg add large lite weight solar array built at station.

First, in order to get a full stage in this case, you'd need a much bigger launcher--(LauncherOne payload to LEO is like 475kg, a fully-fueled LauncherOne stage is over 2500kg). Second, I really have a hard time believing swapping stages is going to be easier than propellant transfer. The Russians have been doing non-cryo transfer since long before I was born, and cryo transfer is only a little bit harder, but also rapidly increasing in TRL. But we should probably take more discussions on depots themselves over to the depot thread.

~Jon
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TripleSeven on 08/29/2018 09:58 pm
Smallsats and cubesats for planetary missions BLEO.

www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/08/tiny-spacecraft-are-breaking-out-earth-s-orbit

We just presented our paper (mentioned in the depot thread in this NSF category) on using micro depots to enable smallsat launch vehicles to do dedicated deep space launch. I'll link to the article and the writeup in another thread once we've put our finishing touches on it, but it's relevant to this planetary/BLEO smallsats discussion--we were getting results suggesting you could use a LauncherOne (refueled on-orbit with a dry-launched/LEO-fueled storable biprop kick stage) to send an 90-450kg net payload almost anywhere in the inner solar system, out to Jupiter.

~Jon

curious...so to do this would the stratolaunch airplane be "better"...two launches at "near the same time" one carries the payload and the other "prop"...or use launcher one and two launches at a short interval?

I am just asking?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/13/2018 05:25 pm
spacenews.com/gapsat-places-geo-smallsat-order-with-terran-orbital/

GEO comms smallsat, no size given but Terran Orbital specialize in 10-100kg cubesat and smallsats. Being delivered direct to GEO by LV, which is unknown at present.

With likes of Made In Space and SSL working ways to add lite weight solar arrays and large radio reflectors in orbit.  Smallsats could make large in roads into GEO market. They are also getting their own range of dedicated LVs from 200-1250kg (LEO) some of which with right 2nd or 3rd stage could deliver few 100kgs direct to GEO.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: gongora on 09/13/2018 05:34 pm
spacenews.com/gapsat-places-geo-smallsat-order-with-terran-orbital/

GEO comms smallsat, no size given but Terran Orbital specialize in 10-100kg cubesat and smallsats. Being delivered direct to GEO by LV, which is unknown at present.

It doesn't explicitly say the LV will put it in GEO (it's possible for a larger sat to carry smaller sats to GEO).  If it is going directly to GEO on the LV I'd guess it would be on a Russian rocket?  Who else really offers that?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/13/2018 10:21 pm
spacenews.com/gapsat-places-geo-smallsat-order-with-terran-orbital/

GEO comms smallsat, no size given but Terran Orbital specialize in 10-100kg cubesat and smallsats. Being delivered direct to GEO by LV, which is unknown at present.

It doesn't explicitly say the LV will put it in GEO (it's possible for a larger sat to carry smaller sats to GEO).  If it is going directly to GEO on the LV I'd guess it would be on a Russian rocket?  Who else really offers that?
Here is quote.  After reading it again not quite sure what they mean.

GapSat-1 will launch in the third quarter of 2020 directly into the geostationary arc 36,000 kilometers above the Earth, according to the company.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/16/2018 01:12 am


techcrunch.com/2018/09/14/california-is-launching-our-own-damn-satellite-to-track-pollution-with-help-from-planet/?guccounter=1

California state have commissioned pollution detecting 6U? cubesat that Planet will build and operate for them.
Not stated, but Planet may also do data analysis.



Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 09/27/2018 07:21 pm
Astrobotics rover take on the cubesat concept.


http://www.parabolicarc.com/2018/09/27/cuberover-develop-generation-planetary-rovers-luxembourg/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/08/2018 04:06 pm
Cubesat water tanker demo mission.

spacenews.com/orbit-fab-to-test-refueling-technology-on-iss/

There are a few companies offering thrusters that use water, Tethers Unlimited and DSI to name two. I think both are flight ready if not flying. 

With in orbit refuelling not only can life of cubesat be extended it also opens up more mission options.
1) fly lower giving higher resolution images eg move from 500km to 250km doubles resolution. Cubesat deorbits in months in case of failure not years.
2) retrieval vehicles to remove debris and dead satellites.
3) have tankers stationed at higher orbits eg GTO or EML1 to allow cubesats to go BLEO without requiring much more than 2kms DV.

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 12/17/2018 05:31 pm
Paper on the ALBus 3U demostrator which was on recent Electron launch and little on Mini Xenon Ion (MiXI) thruster that NASA is developing for cubesats.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://commons.erau.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D1031%26context%3Dmcnair&ved=2ahUKEwjWqaq6uqffAhWFfX0KHdJiDScQFjAGegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw3pdJ1zJqvmgJuuFuOQE2BR&cshid=1545070105096

An Investigation of the System Architecture of High Power Density 3U CubeSats Capable of Supporting High Impulse Missions - Scholarly Commons - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
PDFhttps://commons.erau.edu › viewcontent
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 01/27/2019 12:31 am
Steam thruster for Cubesats.

www.forbes.com/sites/brucedorminey/2019/01/14/steam-powered-asteroid-hopper-offers-revolutionary-new-way-to-explore-our-solar-system/

The steam thruster from this can be used in Cubesats and Smallsats. DSI now Bradford also steam thruster called Comet.

The WINE concept is cool idea, land on asteriod, extract water then use that for thrust to visit another asteriod. Ideal for exploring bodies like, Phobe and Deimos assuming they have water that can be extracted.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 02/15/2019 06:47 pm


spaceflightnow.com/2019/02/13/cubesat-deployed-from-space-station-to-test-sample-return-technology/

Engineers will have to beef up the heat shield on the TechEdSat satellites to achieve a full re-entry and recovery. The team already has developed an ablative nose for the CubeSat, and is working on a higher-temperature material to protect nanosatellites from the heat of re-entry, Murbach said.

The Exo-Brake technology could be used for “on-demand” sample return from the International Space Station and other orbiting laboratories, according to NASA officials. 

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 02/26/2019 04:39 pm
Global roaming for cell phones using satellite cell towers.

https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/25/ubiquitilink-advance-means-every-phone-is-now-a-satellite-phone

Ubiquitilink cubesat allows any phone to communicate with it. Coverage will be limited to txts every so often until constellation expands. (every 55minutes with current demo cubesats ?).

Being able to txt in remote locations is huge plus, all that is needed for hikers and remote sensing equipment.

The biggest plus compared to all the other systems out there is ability to use low cost offshelf cellphones. Lots of constellations lock you into specific ground HW, if satellite company failures your HW is useless. The other plus is ability to start business with handful of cubesats and expand as money allows. 
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 03/20/2019 04:10 pm

www.parabolicarc.com/2019/03/20/lockheed-martins-smart-satellites-tiny-big-missions/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/08/2019 10:22 pm
More smallsat than cubesat technology.

https://madeinspace.us/press-release-optimastsci

MOFFETT FIELD, CA, April 8, 2019 -- Made In Space, Inc. (MIS) announced today that it is developing an in-space manufacturing system to enable precision long-baseline interferometry missions. This technology, known as Optimast-SCI (Structurally Connected Interferometer) equips an ESPA-class small satellite with the company’s extended structure manufacturing technology. It enables the deployment of a 20-meter optical boom interferometer with modular internal optics bench developed with Lowell Observatory, a world leader in astronomical optical interferometry.


Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/02/2019 07:55 pm
Not really cubesat technology but interesting business, which plays in cubesat market.
https://spacenews.com/loft-orbital-fills-first-condosat-preps-for-quarterly-launches/

Loft offer ride to space for hosted payloads in 5-10kg class. You develop the payload and use their interface and they will do rest. Loft only do interface, they use smallsats from varies suppliers and use Spaceflight Industries to help arrange flight. Easy way to get your payload into space, differently lot simpler than developing cubesat. 
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/02/2019 08:03 pm


http://parabolicarc.com/2019/06/02/nasa-selects-small-spacecraft-technologies-funding/

"New high-impulse thrusters and communications technologies that will facilitate missions by groups of spacecraft beyond Earth orbit are among the small satellite technologies that NASA is funding under its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

The space agency selected six research and development projects for SBIR Phase II funding. The awards are for up to $750,000 over two years.

Three of the proposals focus on small satellite thrusters. Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation (AASC) of Oakland, California will continue to develop its high-impulse metal plasma thrusters for use on CubeSat missions."

Here is webpage link and info on AASC metal thruster. Yet another total different thruster technology designed to service Cubesats.

https://applied-sciences-corp.com/mpt-details.html

SIMPLE AND ELEGANT

A design with very few elements - simple and elegant. A Metal Plasma Thruster with a PPU is all. Long life without the traditional need to incorporate tanks, plumbing, liquids, gases nor precision machining into your satellite. Our plasma thruster provides an impulse of 3500 Ns/U, a thrust of 15 uN/W and a specific impulse of 826 s (Pt) up to 2400 s (Al). The propellant can be any solid metal, with Mo/Nb being the typical material.

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/02/2019 09:21 pm
Roccor have range of interesting cubesat products. Deployable booms and antenna, see video on Twitter link. They also do solar panels and radiators.

https://twitter.com/RoccorAerospace/status/1157353556082479104?s=09
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/04/2019 12:20 am
A couple of related presentations I've watched from Conference of Smallsats livestream.


The Deformable Mirror Demonstration Mission (DeMi) CubeSat: optomechanical design validation and laboratory calibration
https://arxiv.org/abs/1807.02649

"Coronagraphs on future space telescopes will require precise wavefront correction to detect Earth-like exoplanets near their host stars. High-actuator count microelectromechanical system (MEMS) deformable mirrors provide wavefront control with low size, weight, and power. The Deformable Mirror Demonstration Mission (DeMi) payload will demonstrate a 140 actuator MEMS deformable mirror (DM) with \SI{5.5}{\micro\meter} maximum stroke. "

The idea is correct for imperfections in telescope mirror system, the magnified light is corrected by Deformable mirror.

The other presentation was call LaserComs? . Not sure of spelling and can't find weblink.
The idea is fly offshelf laser on cubesat and use that as reference to calibrate telescope. The cubesat would be in same viewing window as target exoplanet system. In case of Large UV Optical Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) they would be about 40000kms away and need about 18 cubesats to cover varies targets.
In near term the same cubesats can be used to calibrate earth telescopes.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 08/05/2019 06:18 pm
The range of thrusters avaliable for cube and smallsats is huge now and growing.
Most of propulsion systems and fuels are inert, posing very low risk to LV. This is especially important for rideshare, which is main means of getting to space. NB most of Electron launches even tend to be rideshares with multiple satellites from different customers.

If you want to be deployed from ISS then choices become lot less, this is where water based thrusters come into their own. Most are totally harmless with cubesat battery being most dangerous item. Dr Sercel of Momentus Aerospace said recently he carried their fully fuelled (water) smallsat on plane without any issues.

Sat search provide list of smallsat components and technologies. Here is sample of there cubesat thrusters.

https://blog.satsearch.co/2019-07-10-cubesat-thrusters-an-overview-of-in-space-propulsion-products-for-small-satellites.html
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/10/2019 04:59 pm
https://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/satellites/new-antennas-will-take-cubesats-to-mars-and-beyond

Good article on folding antennas for cubesats.

 Small antennas are limiting factor with cubesats, this is something
Made In Space and Nanoracks want to address by assembling them in space. 3D print antenna in a space station then attach to satellite then test and deploying. Using this approach a cubesat could have ultralight weight antenna with diameter of metres, same applies to solar arrays.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Asteroza on 10/10/2019 11:41 pm
https://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/satellites/new-antennas-will-take-cubesats-to-mars-and-beyond

Good article on folding antennas for cubesats.

 Small antennas are limiting factor with cubesats, this is something
Made In Space and Nanoracks want to address by assembling them in space. 3D print antenna in a space station then attach to satellite then test and deploying. Using this approach a cubesat could have ultralight weight antenna with diameter of metres, same applies to solar arrays.

Uh, aren't you limited by JEM airlock size currently, and the Bishop airlock in the future though, if you want to print antennas/arrays/parts inside ISS? Or are you suggesting installing an archinaut/spiderfab at ISS to tinker with cubesats after they go outside but before being ejected (shades of DEXTRE)?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/11/2019 12:16 am
https://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/satellites/new-antennas-will-take-cubesats-to-mars-and-beyond

Good article on folding antennas for cubesats.

 Small antennas are limiting factor with cubesats, this is something
Made In Space and Nanoracks want to address by assembling them in space. 3D print antenna in a space station then attach to satellite then test and deploying. Using this approach a cubesat could have ultralight weight antenna with diameter of metres, same applies to solar arrays.

Uh, aren't you limited by JEM airlock size currently, and the Bishop airlock in the future though, if you want to print antennas/arrays/parts inside ISS? Or are you suggesting installing an archinaut/spiderfab at ISS to tinker with cubesats after they go outside but before being ejected (shades of DEXTRE)?
Bishop airlock still allows 1.12m diameter dish which is huge on 3-6U cubesat. Nanorack pdf did show them using airlock to 3d print larger antennas with airlock deployed. In this case may load airlock with printer, cubesat and robotic arm. Attach printed antenna to cubesat with robotic arm, test then deploy.

In long run I'd imagine they would use unmanned station as its lot cheaper to build and run. The ISS gives them chance to develop robotic systems with human in loop to help debug.





Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/24/2019 06:50 pm

Found this paper on using cubesats for lunar GPS constellation, they reckon 15 cubsats would do it.  They were targeting 1U, I'd say 3U is more likely by time add station keeping propulsion.

http://www.r2labs.org/pubs/armani_batista__lunar_gps_worldcomp_2012_Final.pdf

With RL capable of delivering 30kg to lunar orbit for <$10m the launch costs would be <$20m. As a bonus get two Photons in orbit which could be used as comms relays.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/31/2019 05:57 pm
Phase Four do smallsat thrusters, being following them since the CAT.

There is interview with SpaceShow on 29oct.

http://www.phasefour.io/maxwell/

Have cool online calculator.

Currently uses Xenon but has been successfully tested with water. Long term plan to use water, would give similar performance to Momentus systems. With Momentus you can only buy ride not propulsion system.

Edit: One of their future projects is to investigate operating a smallsat on edge of space and use rarified air as fuel. The big issue is providing enough thrust to counter drag from air scoop. Would mean life of satellite isn't limited by fuel.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Asteroza on 11/06/2019 02:35 am
Phase Four do smallsat thrusters, being following them since the CAT.

There is interview with SpaceShow on 29oct.

http://www.phasefour.io/maxwell/

Have cool online calculator.

Currently uses Xenon but has been successfully tested with water. Long term plan to use water, would give similar performance to Momentus systems. With Momentus you can only buy ride not propulsion system.

Edit: One of their future projects is to investigate operating a smallsat on edge of space and use rarified air as fuel. The big issue is providing enough thrust to counter drag from air scoop. Would mean life of satellite isn't limited by fuel.

So shades of PROFAC and a hypersonic forever-plane
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/08/2019 05:17 pm
Busek do a range of cubesat propulsion.

http://busek.com/technologies__cubesatprop.htm
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 11/20/2019 05:35 pm
These ion thrusters have ISP range of 2000-6000. Come with 230gm of solid fuel.

https://www.enpulsion.com/order/ifm-nano-thruster/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 01/20/2020 12:08 pm
Looks like Pico and Nanosats are becoming more capable especially with addition of electric propulsion.

https://citadel.space/collaboration-with-applied-ion-systems-llc/

Citadel Space Systems are developing a series of pico- and nanosatellite platforms with an emphasis on enabling science missions with extensive requirements.  This includes “simple” mission profiles like those in LEO (Low Earth Orbit), but extends to include more ambitious mission concepts Beyond Earth Orbit – explored by nanosatellites only once before.


Applied Ion Systems are developing low-cost open source high vacuum physics applications of charged particle beam and plasma systems.  In the field of electric spacecraft propulsion, they have developed the AIS-gPPT3, a pulsed plasma thruster suitable for integration with pocketqube-scale spacecraft.  It is due to fly on a collaborative demonstrator mission with Fossa Systems on the AMSAT EA GENESIS-L/N pocketqubes NET April 2020. AIS have since expanded into developing ionic liquid ion source electrospray thrusters.

Here is link to Alba Orbital who build Pocketqubes and also offer launch options, €25k for 1p.

http://www.albaorbital.com/



Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 01/26/2020 05:39 pm
Interview with Blue Canyon smallsat company  on some of their technology.

http://www.kratosdefense.com/constellations-podcast/attitude-control-innovation-darpa?r=comms
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 01/26/2020 05:45 pm
Blue Canyon from above provide the precision spacecraft pointing which is their specially area.

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/cubesat_laser_infrared_crosslink

The CubeSat Laser Infrared CrosslinK (CLICK) mission will demonstrate technology to advance the state of the art in communications between small spacecraft as well as the capability to gauge their relative distance and location. CLICK is comprised of two sequential missions.

The first mission, CLICK A, is a risk reduction mission that will test out elements of the optical (laser) communications with a single 3-unit (3U) spacecraft. The key objective of this risk reduction testing is to demonstrate the fine steering mirror control system’s high precision pointing performance which enables the use of a lower power laser in CLICK B/C. This will be demonstrated via communication between the spacecraft in low-Earth orbit and a portable ground station telescope. The key performance metric of CLICK A is to establish a greater than 10 megabits per second (Mbps) data downlink from the CLICK A spacecraft from an altitude of approximately 249 miles (400 kilometers), to a 12-inch (30-centimeter) telescope on the ground.

The goal of CLICK B/C, the second mission, is to demonstrate full-duplex (send and receive) optical communication crosslink between two 3U small spacecraft, in low-Earth-orbit, at distances between 15 and 360 miles (25 - 580 kilometres) apart at data rates greater than 20 Mbps. This second mission will also demonstrate precision ranging capability between the spacecraft that provides the ability to measure the distance and location of each with a range resolution to within approximately 20 inches (0.5 meters).


Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 02/03/2020 07:20 pm

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2020/02/03/tethers-unlimited-delivers-space-networking-solution/

BOTHELL, Wash (Tethers Unlimited)  — Tethers Unlimited, Inc. (TUI) announced the delivery of the first mesh network inter-satellite crosslink solution for small satellites. TUI’s SWIFT-LINQ network is a software ‘app’ that runs on TUI’s SWIFT flight-heritage software defined radios to connect satellite constellations, clusters, and formations together with a resilient, adaptable mesh network. 
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/10/2020 12:42 am
The SARs market is likely to be just as big as optical, especially as radar works through cloud and at night. Has some other unique capabilities, one is seeing ships wakes, one image can show path ship has travelled in last few minutes and rough speed.


https://spacenews.com/umbra-antenna-patent/


NEWSOPINION

CORONAVIRUSLAUNCHCIVILCOMMERCIALMILITARYPOLICY &amp; POLITICS

Umbra Lab patent application reveals unique antenna designby Debra Werner — April 7, 2020

David Langan, Umbra co-founder and CEO, stands before the patent application for the firm's Articulated Folding Rib Reflector for Concentrating Radiation. Credit: Umbra Lab

SAN FRANCISCO – The patent application for Umbra Lab’s antenna is now public, revealing how the startup intends to deploy a large synthetic aperture radar (SAR) reflector on a microsatellite.

The patent published online in March, shows a reflector designed to stow compactly for launch. In orbit, a series of ribs attached to the central hub open to deploy a reflector covered in a flexible reflective material with a diameter of about four meters.

“We invented a novel way to fold a parabolic mesh antenna larger than 10 square meters to make it fit in a microsatellite,” said Umbra co-founder Gabe Dominocielo.

David Langan, Umbra co-founder and CEO, added by email, “In order to launch the world’s only microsatellite capable of high resolution it was pretty clear we had to invent something new.” (By high resolution, Langan said he is referring to sensors capable of producing images with a resolution of 25 centimeters in both azimuth and range.)

Umbra Lab plans to launch a constellation of SAR microsatellites to capture imagery with a resolution of 25 centimeters. 

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/03/2020 12:21 am

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2020/06/02/jpl-mission-breaks-record-for-smallest-satellite-to-detect-an-exoplanet/

PASADENA, Calif. (NASA PR) — Long before it was deployed into low-Earth orbit from the International Space Station in Nov. 2017, the tiny ASTERIA spacecraft had a big goal: to prove that a satellite roughly the size of a briefcase could perform some of the complex tasks much larger space observatories use to study exoplanets, or planets outside our solar system. A new paper soon to be published in the Astronomical Journal describes how ASTERIA (short for Arcsecond Space Telescope Enabling Research in Astrophysics) didn’t just demonstrate it could perform those tasks but went above and beyond, detecting the known exoplanet 55 Cancri e.


It was actually looking 55 Cancri e and did detect it even if it was marginal.
Long term they want to build ones twice size and use them to supplement big telescopes. Given size and cost can be used for long term observation of a star with known planet to gather more data, alternatively used to detect possible new exoplanets which big telescopes could collect better data on.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/08/2020 04:51 pm


http://parabolicarc.com/2020/06/08/general-atomics-partners-with-space-development-agency-to-demonstrate-optical-intersatellite-link/

GA-EMS’ small satellite designs offer unique solutions to many of the challenges that arise when developing demonstration assets such as LCTs including addressing specific size, weight, and power requirements,” said Nick Bucci, vice president of Missile Defense and Space Systems at GA-EMS. “With our proven spacecraft and their capabilities coupled with our significant investment in LCT research and development, we anticipate this demonstration to show data rates up to 5GB a second at ranges up to 2500 km, and this LCT can support out to greater than 4500 km. This increased speed in communications is necessary to advance a variety of space applications in intelligence, surveillance, telecommunications, reconnaissance, and more.”
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/17/2020 10:26 pm
https://in-space.co.uk/

In Space Missions offers payload rideshare on there Faraday spacecraft. For £100,000 you can fly 1U payload on there spacecraft for 6 months, can be extended for additional cost.  £10,000 for 75g circuit board. First mission is to fly on Electron in few weeks ie 3july20.

Great interview on youtube Preciouspayload channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCztg6mWuGX-Bk5k12uT_3Aw
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 07/03/2020 09:10 pm

https://www.laserfocusworld.com/lasers-sources/article/14178698/spooqy1-shows-promise-of-nanosatellites-for-optical-quantum-networks

SpooQy-1 shows promise of nanosatellites for optical quantum networks

Miniature polarization-entangled photon-pair source aboard the 2.6 kg, shoebox-sized satellite enables the creation of entangled signals in orbit.

Results from Micius published in Nature on 15 June 2020 showed that the satellite sent entangled signals simultaneously to two ground stations 1120 km apart, creating a secure encryption key at a rate of 0.12 bit/s.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/10/2020 08:38 pm
This small NZ company uses earth magnetic field to provide fuel free propulsion. Physics is sound and  was worked on in 60s.  Hope to have test flight in 1-2 years.

https://m2magazine.co.nz/m2-success-summit-local-vs-space/

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/122926466/kiwi-fuelfree-magnetic-space-engine-could-be-in-orbit-in-2022
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 10/27/2020 05:13 pm
NZ company Dawn Aerospace have cubesat chemical propulsion module and 20N thruster for smallsats. The cubesat one now has some space flight time. See link below

https://www.dawnaerospace.com/blog/ionscvlucas

Besides propulsion they are developing suborbital spaceplanes. Their first suborbital plane is built now going through flight testing. In future larger one could deploy 2nd stage for launching cubesats.

Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Danderman on 11/24/2020 06:05 pm
One of the great mysteries is the ratio between announced CubeSat mission using propulsion, and the actual number flown. I am having a tough time finding Cubesats that fly with working propulsion systems.
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 01/15/2021 07:02 pm
This is solid fuel electric propulsion thruster with variable ISP 2000-6000.

https://www.enpulsion.com/technology/
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/04/2021 08:26 am

NASA’s Super Lightweight Support Masts for Small Satellites and Lunar Surface Missions http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/nasa-s-super-lightweight-support-masts-for-small-satellites-and-lunar-surface-missions#.YGl33NV2Dxw.twitter



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Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: Jonathan_Blatter on 04/29/2021 07:49 pm
Hi Guys. Something is wandering around in my head.
is it possible, to use a nano set or a cubesat so send out from the ISS or any other human transport vehicle to intercept space debris.
Very small things with something like a blanket,
bigger myby a net or
just ramit with a shield.
just so the vehicle dosn not have to change course.
any idea?
Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/27/2021 08:02 pm
Smallsats fail at lot more often that traditional satellites. To be fair a lot smallsats are built by startups and universities on limited budgets. In lot cases are just tech demos with limited life. The traditional satellites are using very mature technology and are very expensive.
 
https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/1397935426376175619?s=19


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Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 06/02/2021 10:36 am
This NZ startup backed by RL has developed inflatable solar array which produces 300W/kg, about half weight of typical smalsat solar array. Test launch this year as rideshare on Electron.

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2104/S00300/astrix-raises-500000-from-outset-ventures-to-power-satellites-with-inflatable-space-tech.htm


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Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 04/13/2022 06:15 pm
This NZ startup backed by RL has developed inflatable solar array which produces 300W/kg, about half weight of typical smalsat solar array. Test launch this year as rideshare on Electron.

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2104/S00300/astrix-raises-500000-from-outset-ventures-to-power-satellites-with-inflatable-space-tech.htm


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The demo mission of 1U cubsat with 200w inflatable solar array will fly next week on Electron's "There and Back" mission.

https://astrix.co.nz/21-year-olds-space-tech-start-up-lifts-off-with-support-from-peter-beck/

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Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/04/2022 03:02 am
Astrix inflatable solar array works.

https://twitter.com/Fia_m_Jones/status/1521593801155825664?t=J1Qz0FU1Djfxh_3OAw1Ugg&amp;s=19

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Title: Re: CubeSat and NanoSat Technology
Post by: TrevorMonty on 05/06/2022 11:29 pm
ForgeStar are designing a reuseable 25kg satellites to do inspace manufacturing then return satellite and its payload to earth for refurbishment. First launch is mid 2022 on LauncherOne with ESA helping to fund it. This demo mission is to test satellite and its reentry system, no manufacturing that I know of.
Sounds like semiconductors will be first line of business. May not be that economical at 25kg but cheap and fast way to demo manufacturing technology and material. At present alternative is ISS with huge number of safety loops to jump through, then you need find ride up and most importantly down. At 25-100kg easy to find rideshare space, don't care to much about orbit just ability to return to recovery area.

https://youtu.be/78knslg6TWk

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