Interplanetary CubeSat missions

Malphrus, Benjamin K.; Freeman, A.; Staehle, Robert; Klesh, Andrew T.; Walker, Roger

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-817884-3.00004-7

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Although single events are more prone in this region, specially during periods of high solar activity, protections measures can be implemented in both software and hardware. Nevertheless, the technology of the navigation instrumentation and the payload has been used in previous missions (flying far from Earth like MarCO [ 44 ] and CMB missions like Planck, respectively) without detecting particular issues from that aspect, thanks to the shielding systems implemented on them.…”

Section: L2-calsat Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

L2-CalSat: A Calibration Satellite for Ultra-Sensitive CMB Polarization Space Missions

Casas

Martínez-González

Bermejo-Ballesteros

et al. 2021

Sensors

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In this work, the use of a calibration satellite (L2-CalSat) flying in formation with a Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) polarization mission in an orbit located at the second Lagrange point, is proposed. The new generation of CMB telescopes are expected to reach unprecedented levels of sensitivity to allow a very precise measurement of the B-mode of polarization, the curl-like polarization component expected from gravitational waves coming from Starobinski inflationary models. Due to the CMB polarized signal weakness, the instruments must be subjected to very precise calibration processes before and after launching. Celestial sources are often used as external references for calibration after launch, but these sources are not perfectly characterized. As a baseline option, L2-CalSat is based on the CubeSat standard and serves as a perfectly known source of a reference signal to reduce polarization measurements uncertainty. A preliminary design of L2-CalSat is described and, according to the scanning strategy followed by the telescope, the influence of the relative position between the spacecrafts in the calibration process is studied. This new calibration element will have a huge impact on the performance of CMB space missions, providing a significant improvement in the measurements accuracy without requiring new and costly technological developments.

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Section: L2-calsat Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

L2-CalSat: A Calibration Satellite for Ultra-Sensitive CMB Polarization Space Missions

Casas

Martínez-González

Bermejo-Ballesteros

et al. 2021

Sensors

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“…Examples include CanX-1, CUTE-1, and AUU [8]. Very few CubeSats are designed, launched, and operated for deep space communications, such as those in [9,10]. On the other hand, CubeSats have limited functionality compared with other larger in size satellites.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Survey on CubeSat Missions and Their Antenna Designs

Theoharis

Raad

et al. 2022

Electronics

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CubeSats are a class of miniaturized satellites that have become increasingly popular in academia and among hobbyists due to their short development time and low fabrication cost. Their compact size, lightweight characteristics, and ability to form a swarm enables them to communicate directly with one another to inspire new ideas on space exploration, space-based measurements, and implementation of the latest technology. CubeSat missions require specific antenna designs in order to achieve optimal performance and ensure mission success. Over the past two decades, a plethora of antenna designs have been proposed and implemented on CubeSat missions. Several challenges arise when designing CubeSat antennas such as gain, polarization, frequency selection, pointing accuracy, coverage, and deployment mechanisms. While these challenges are strongly related to the restrictions posed by the CubeSat standards, recently, researchers have turned their attention from the reliable and proven whip antenna to more sophisticated antenna designs such as antenna arrays to allow for higher gain and reconfigurable and steerable radiation patterns. This paper provides a comprehensive survey of the antennas used in 120 CubeSat missions from 2003 to 2022 as well as a collection of single-element antennas and antenna arrays that have been proposed in the literature. In addition, we propose a pictorial representation of how to select an antenna for different types of CubeSat missions. To this end, this paper aims is to serve both as an introductory guide on CubeSats antennas for CubeSat enthusiasts and a state of the art for CubeSat designers in this ever-growing field.

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“…However, several technology hurdles need to be addressed before these propulsion systems are applied to deep-space missions. The viability of deep-space CubeSats was demonstrated with the MarCO mission to Mars [7] and several new CubeSat missions are now slated for launch outside Earth orbit [8]. However, the low power efficiency of many electric propulsion technologies at the CubeSat scale severely limits the potential payload for missions that travel away from the Sun.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and Laboratory Testing of a CubeSat-Compatible Staged Ionic-Liquid Electrospray Propulsion System

Pettersson

Jia-Richards

Lozano

2022

AIAA SCITECH 2022 Forum

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Advances in propulsion systems are key to enabling independent deep-space CubeSat missions. Currently available electric propulsion technologies require relatively high power and thereby heavy power generation systems, severely limiting their utility for missions going away from the Sun. The ionic-liquid electrospray is known to have high power efficiency but a relatively short lifetime in its present state, limiting the total impulse available in such systems. This lifetime limit can be overcome by using several stages of thrusters, which are used in sequence to multiply the total system lifetime. In this paper, we present the design details and laboratory testing results for a staging system that is compatible with the CubeSat standard. This system will later be demonstrated in space on the STEP-1 satellite, which could enable an exciting new era of accessible CubeSat exploration around the solar system. Nomenclature= Effective exhaust velocity of propulsion system, m/s = Hold-down wire diameter, m = Elastic (Young's) modulus, Pa = Stiffness (spring constant), N/m = Hold-down wire length, m 0 = Spacecraft initial wet mass, kg dry = Propulsion system dry mass, kg pay = Spacecraft payload mass, kg P = Electrical power of propulsion system, W = Specific power of electricity generation, W/kg Δ = Velocity increment from propulsion, m/s

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Interplanetary CubeSat missions

Cited by 15 publications

References 7 publications

L2-CalSat: A Calibration Satellite for Ultra-Sensitive CMB Polarization Space Missions

L2-CalSat: A Calibration Satellite for Ultra-Sensitive CMB Polarization Space Missions

A Survey on CubeSat Missions and Their Antenna Designs

Development and Laboratory Testing of a CubeSat-Compatible Staged Ionic-Liquid Electrospray Propulsion System

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