MarCO: Interplanetary Mission Development On a CubeSat Scale

Schoolcraft, Joshua; Klesh, Andrew T.; Werne, Thomas A.

doi:10.2514/6.2016-2491

Cited by 49 publications

(33 citation statements)

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“…A cube satellite (CubeSat) is a type of cube-shaped pico-class miniaturized satellite with a volume of 10 cm 3 and a mass less than 1.33 kg with respect to a standard size of one unit (1 U) [1]. In recent years, advanced missions using 6 U CubeSats have grown considerably in the areas of space science [2,3], exploration [4,5], and earth observation [6,7], because satellites can be built to have a small size to reduce the large economic cost of construction and launch. For example, JAXA is currently developing an OMOTENASHI that is a nanoscale lunar lander to observe the radiation environment on the lunar surface [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, JAXA is currently developing an OMOTENASHI that is a nanoscale lunar lander to observe the radiation environment on the lunar surface [2]. The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has developed and launched two Mars-orbiting Cube-Sats for Mars Cube One (MarCO) for a real-time communication link between the InSight Mars lander and Earth [4]. The JPL has also developed a RainCube for Earth's climate observation using a Ka-band deployable parabolic mesh antenna in low Earth orbit with an altitude of 400 km [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Development of 6 U CubeSat’s Deployable Solar Panel with Burn Wire Triggering Holding and Release Mechanism

Park

Chae²,

2019

International Journal of Aerospace Engineering

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In the present work, a deployable solar panel based on a burn wire triggering holding and release mechanism was developed for use of 6 U CubeSat. The holding and release mechanism was designed based on a nichrome burn wire cutting method widely used for CubeSat applications. However, it provides a high loading capability, reliable wire cutting, multiplane constraints, and handling simplicity during the tightening process of wire. A demonstration model of a printed circuit board-based solar panel stiffened by a high-pressure fiberglass-laminated G10 material was fabricated and tested to validate the effectiveness of the design and functionality of the mechanism under various test conditions. The structural safety of the solar panel combined with the mechanism in a launch vibration environment was verified through sine and random vibration tests at qualification level.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of 6 U CubeSat’s Deployable Solar Panel with Burn Wire Triggering Holding and Release Mechanism

Park

Chae²,

2019

International Journal of Aerospace Engineering

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“…Nowadays, they are a consolidate means for Earth observation, where they dramatically reduce mission costs. We are now at a turning point, where nano-and micro-satellite systems can accomplish interplanetary missions beyond the boundaries of low Earth orbit (LEO) [2,3]. However, in spite of the substantial increase in low-mass satellites launched since 2013, several statistics show the low success rate of these commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)-based cost-driven systems.…”

Section: Introduction and Scopementioning

confidence: 99%

Verification Approaches for Nano- and Micro-Satellites

Modenini

Tortora

2020

Aerospace

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“…Interplanetary CubeSats are unquestionably still an emerging technological field: at the time of writing, less than a year has passed from the first, and for now only, mission of this type, Mars Cube One (MarCO) [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

NAV-Landmarks: Deployable 3D Infrastructures to Enable CubeSats Navigation Near Asteroids

Fraia

Chermak

Cuartielles

et al. 2020

2020 IEEE Aerospace Conference

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Autonomous operations in the proximity of Near Earth Objects (NEO) are perhaps the most challenging and demanding type of mission operation currently being considered. The exceptional variability of geometric and illumination conditions, the scarcity of large scale surface features and the strong perturbations in their proximity require incredibly robust systems to be handled. Robustness is usually introduced by either increasing the number and/or the complexity of on-board sensors, or by employing algorithms capable of handling uncertainties, often computationally heavy. While for a large satellite this would be predominantly an economic issue, for small satellites these constraints might push the ability to accomplish challenging missions beyond the realm of technical possibility. The scope of this paper is to present an active approach that allows small satellites deployed by a mothership to perform robust navigation using only a monocular visible camera. In particular, the introduction of Non-cooperative Artificial Visual landmarks (NAV-Landmarks) on the surface of the target object is proposed to augment the capabilities of small satellites. These external elements can be effectively regarded as an infrastructure forming an extension of the landing system. The quantitative efficiency estimation of this approach will be performed by comparing the outputs of a visual odometry algorithm, which operates on sequences of images representing ballistic descents around a small non-rotating asteroid. These sequences of virtual images will be obtained through the integration of two simulated models, both based on the Apollo asteroid 101955 Bennu. The first is a dynamical model, describing the landing trajectory, realized by integrating over time the gravitational potential around a three-axis ellipsoid. The second model is visual, generated by introducing in Unreal Engine 4 a CAD model of the asteroid (with a resolution of 75 cm) and scattering on its surface a number N of cubes with side length L. The effect of both N and L on the navigation accuracy will be reported. While defining an optimal shape for the NAV-Landmarks is out of the scope of this paper, prescriptions about the beacons geometry will be provided. In particular, in this work the objects will be represented as high-visibility cubes. This shape satisfies, albeit in a non-optimal way, most of the design goals.

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MarCO: Interplanetary Mission Development On a CubeSat Scale

Cited by 49 publications

References 1 publication

Development of 6 U CubeSat’s Deployable Solar Panel with Burn Wire Triggering Holding and Release Mechanism

Development of 6 U CubeSat’s Deployable Solar Panel with Burn Wire Triggering Holding and Release Mechanism

Verification Approaches for Nano- and Micro-Satellites

NAV-Landmarks: Deployable 3D Infrastructures to Enable CubeSats Navigation Near Asteroids

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