12 research outputs found
Highly-miniaturized spacecraft "PlanarSat": Evaluating prospects and challenges through a survey of femto & atto satellite missions
No full textAs satellite technology advances, there has been a notable trend towards miniaturization, leading to the development of increasingly smaller satellites such as femtosatellites and attosatellites. A new emerging form of such satellites is often called ChipSat, with unique designs that utilize both surfaces of a single plane to maximize functionality within limited dimensions. Initially, the term ChipSat referred to system-on-a-chip satellites but it has since expanded to include centimeter and millimeter scale spacecraft. To provide a clearer terminology, this paper introduces the term "PlanarSat" for such a planar spacecraft. Despite the challenges in deployment and the constraints, such as cost, size, access to space, and capabilities, of miniaturized subsystems, these satellites represent a significant shift in space technology, aiming for costeffective solutions and innovative mission capabilities. This study reviews thirty sub-100-gram satellites, analyzing their design, deployment, and potential for future advancements in a comparative manner. In this study, satellite independence was defined based on system-wise independence, highlighting operational autonomy irrespective of physical connections. The survey's findings highlight technological advancements and potential applications for these very small spacecraft, which are pushing the boundaries of what is feasible with smaller satellites and how these satellites were or planned to be delivered to orbit. The analysis results provide a basic cost comparison, providing information on hardware and launch costs, taking the instantaneous data rate as a reference point, underscoring the need for a new systems engineering approach to the design of such satellites
Comprehensive Six-Degrees-of-Freedom Trajectory Design and Optimization of a Launch Vehicle with a Hybrid Last Stage Using the PSO Algorithm
No full textIncreased performance with reduced overall cost, and precise design and optimization of launch systems are critical to affordability. In this respect, the use of hybrid motors has increased to ease handling based on motor selection. In the current study, the launch vehicle’s performance is enhanced by incorporating a hybrid rocket motor into the last stage and optimized using particle swarm optimization to develop a six-degrees-of-freedom tool. This modification aims to increase payload placement flexibility, facilitate handling, and reduce costs. Thanks to the interactive subsystems within this research, this innovative study more comprehensively considers the launch vehicle trajectory design problem, allowing the simultaneous consideration of the effect of launch vehicle geometry along with other parameters in the system. In this context, the proposed method is applied to the Minotaur-I launch vehicle, and contributions of the detailed design and optimization are presented. Optimization results show that the percentage differences between these models for the original vehicle were observed to be 11.55% in velocity and 8.02% in altitude. However, there were differences of 10.06% and 48.8%, 15.8% and 23.2%, and 19.5% and 78.9% in altitudes and velocities when the center of gravity and moment of inertia changes were neglected, and constant aerodynamic coefficients were assumed, respectively. In all these cases, it was observed that the flight path angle was not close to zero. Moreover, the same mission was achieved by the launch vehicle with the optimized hybrid last stage and the propulsion performance was increased by about 7.64% based on the specific impulse and total impulse-over-weight ratio
Space Technology Capacity Building in Support of SDG 2030 Through CubeSat Sharjah-Sat-1
No full textThe SHARJAH-SAT-1 would be the first CubeSat mission to be developed by the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) students and researchers, with the aim of not only designing, fabricating, testing & launching the CubeSat itself, but also building the capacities and expertise for future SAASST CubeSat missions as well. For the project, SAASST is working in close collaboration with an experienced international partner, the Istanbul Technical University, Space Systems Design and Test Laboratory which has already developed and launched 5 CubeSats into low earth orbit. Overall, the project, puts the human capacity development in its center, in support of UN SDG 2030 for an equal world
Human and technological capacity building through the Sharjah-Sat-1 CubeSat project
No full textSharjah-Sat-1 is 3U+ CubeSat, carrying a primary payload consisting of an X-ray detector to study bright X-ray sources in our Galaxy and a dual camera system as a secondary, remote-sensing application payload. It is the first small satellite mission of the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) and the University of Sharjah (UoS), developed in close collaboration with Istanbul Technical University Space Systems Design and Test Laboratory (ITU-SSDTL) and Sabanci University (SU). Small satellites, especially CubeSat standard, have greatly interested universities and educational establishments due to their lower costs and shorter development time. This makes them ideal for engaging students in the design, testing, and operation of satellite missions and offers a unique first-hand experience in the space industry. The Sharjah-Sat-1 project has provided an essential basis for theoretical and hands-on knowledge of space technologies. This included various extensive workshops for the team of undergraduate students involved and public outreach programs on the topics of satellites and space systems. Additionally, the project has created a solid infrastructure at the Academy to develop further CubeSat missions in the future. Throughout the mission duration, the CubeSat laboratory at SAASST has been expanding and building the necessary facilities that are vital for its success. This includes the high-performance Workstation loaded with the required software to design, simulate and analyze the mission in the space environment, the cleanroom (ISO6 certified) to integrate and test the satellite subsystems, and the ground station (VHF/UHF) needed to communicate with CubeSat once it is in orbit. Furthermore, the participating students have been trained on how to use the software and the operation of the ground station in the scope of the Sharjah-Sat-1 mission. Ultimately, the human and technological capacities the project has built and all experience gained will certainly be transferred to future projects
The iXRD on Sharjah-Sat-1 CubeSat, the science mission, and ground calibration
No full textThe Sharjah-Sat-1 3U CubeSat is designed and realized together with the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST), the University of Sharjah (UoS), Istanbul Technical University (ITU), and Sabanci University (SU). It has two scientific objectives: performing X-ray astronomy observations and capturing remote sensing and Earth observation images of the United Arab Emirates. The CubeSat is to be launched by the fourth quarter of 2022 and is currently in the Flight-Model integration phase. The primary science payload is the iXRD (Improved X-Ray Detector), with the main objective of observing very bright transient and persistent galactic hard X-ray sources. It will use a pixelated 5 mm CdZnTe-based crystal as an active material with an energy range of 25keV to 300keV and a spectral resolution between 5-10 keV at 60keV, depending on the pixel size. In addition, a Tungsten collimator with a field of view of 4.26 degrees and a tungsten shield at the back decreases the cosmic X-ray and Earth's albedo background. Its' second objective is solar observations to study the hard X-ray spectra of flares and coronal holes. Other potential targets are transient bright events (e.g., GRBs and magnetar bursts). This presentation will show the results of laboratory calibration, TVAC tests, and sensitivity analysis based on in-orbit background simulations to support its science objectives
SharjahSat-1 space-to-ground telecommunication operations
No full textSharjahSat-1 is a collaborative research project by the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Science, and Technology (SAASST), University of Sharjah (UoS), Istanbul Technical University Space Systems Design and Test Laboratory (ITU-SSDTL), and Sabanci University (SU). The 3U+ CubeSat will host an improved X-ray Detector (iXRD) as the primary payload and a secondary payload system of a dual optical camera system. The X-ray detector's objective is to detect hard X-rays from very bright X-ray sources, and to study the solar coronal holes, whereas the camera system will provide a low-resolution remote sensing application. Although SharjahSat-1 would be the first CubeSat mission to be developed by SAASST and UoS, it aims to extend the experience for the following CubeSat missions. The anticipated launch date of the CubeSat is by the fourth quarter of 2022. Many parameters such as emission patterns, data rates, modulation schemes, and the dynamics of the satellites affect the completion of the communication links between the CubeSat and the ground station. Thus, it is crucial to consider all major and minor parameters while designing and performing telecommunication operations. SharjahSat-1 host a transmitter and a transceiver and their antennas to communicate the data from the payloads and telemetry through different frequency bands. It will perform these operations through S-band and VHF/UHF frequency ranges due to its payloads requirement of high data rates. Moreover, SAASST is equipped with an S-Band, a full-duplex VHF/UHF Ground Station, and a Software Defined Radio (SDR) ground station transceiver to fulfill such mission requirements and assure its success. Furthermore, a custom-console software was developed to control SharjahSat-1 while it is in orbit by sending commands to execute diverse types of operations that will directly affect the practicality of mission objectives. This paper comprises SharjahSat-1 communication subsystem design significance due to the requirements of the payloads. Then it will put forward the composition of the full-fledged SAASST Ground Segment equipped with technologically advanced hardware components that allow full automation during operations as it is remotely controlled. Finally, it will describe the developed custom-console software that aids the mission's operations to formulate a comprehensive End-to-End communication operations process
