RadiCal

Calibration of CubeSatTest Facilities

CalSatTeam Members:Gerald FrolichDavid Baroff Dickson Yuen Seth Drake

Advisors: Gary Hill – EE

Dr. David Stout – MAEDr. Garrett – Principal Investigator

The Problem

Between the years of 2003-2013: 112 CubeSats have been launched▪ 49 of the 54 1U CubeSats were university

constructed (91%)▪ 27 of the 34 failed CubeSat missions have

been university led (80%) Approximately 50% of all university based

CubeSats fail to reach mission success, while less than 20% of Industry led CubeSats fail

The Problem

Swartwout, "The First One Hundred CubeSats”

The Problem

Why? Discontinuity with regards to the sharing of

knowledge Insufficient pre-launch system-level testing

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Semester 5

Semester 6

One TeamOne Team

Start Finish

Universities

Industry

Start Finish

The Problem

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Semester 5

Semester 6

One TeamOne Team

Start Finish

Universities

Industry

Start Finish

Why? Discontinuity with regards to the sharing of

knowledge Insufficient pre-launch system-level testing

Amount of CubeSats being manifested is increasing rapidly 23 launched in 2012 80 in 2013▪ More launches than in the first 10 years

combined

The Problem

Why? Discontinuity with regards to the sharing of

knowledge Insufficient pre-launch system-level testing

Amount of CubeSats being manifested is increasing rapidly 23 launched in 2012 80 in 2013▪ More launches than in the first 10 years

combined

Swartwout, "The First One Hundred CubeSats”

The Problem

Why? Discontinuity with regards to the sharing of

knowledge Insufficient pre-launch system-level testing

Amount of CubeSats being manifested is increasing rapidly 23 launched in 2012 80 in 2013▪ More launches than in the first 10 years combined

Many are coming from new schools Little to no institutional experience Common mistakes of past missions are repeated

Swartwout, "The First One Hundred CubeSats”

The Problem

NASA, “CubeSat Launch Initiative: 50 CubeSats from 50 States in 5 years”

The Solution (CalSat)

Education Spacecraft Design Classes/Labs Spacecraft Environment Interactions

System Integration & Environmental Testing Launch Sets▪ Launch Vehicles▪ Fuel Type

Mission Sets▪ Orbit▪ Objective

Certification of University CubeSat Test Facilities

Educational Program

2 Sets of Curriculum Spacecraft Design

Building a CubeSat▪ Structural Components

(MAE)▪ Electronic Components

(EE) Testing: structure / basic

sensor suite testing Spacecraft Environment

Interactions Environments and

Interactions to be considered

Effect of such interactions on satellites

Testing: pre-launch / sensor suite /CalSat

Environmental Test

Standard Set – General Environmental Verification Standards (GEVS) Set by NASA, last revised January 2014

TEST CalSat SensorRandom Vibration Accelerometer/Vibration

sensor

Sinusoidal Vibration Accelerometer/Vibration sensor

Shock Accelerometer/Shock sensor

Thermal Vacuum Bakeout Thermal sensor/ Pressure sensor

This is not enough, CubeSats are still failing after launch Pre-launch testing is not thorough enough Additional environmental interactions for CubeSat testing

(e.g. radiation, electro-magnetic flux, etc.)

CalSat

Launch/Mission

Sets

Launch&

MissionSets

University Vs. Industry

BasicTesting

Mission SpecificTesting

Universities IndustryCalSat

Launch & Mission Sets

Compile a database with a set of standards specific to different types of rockets and missions Low Budget

Inexperience Discontinuit

y

One Team Top Tier

Engineers

Launch & Mission Sets

CalSat

Launch/Mission

Sets

Falcon IX Launch Vehicle

Dependent Shock Ranges Vibration

Ranges Acoustic

Ranges

LEO

Launch Set

Mission Set Compile a database with

a set of standards specific to different types of rockets and missions

Orbit Dependent LEO / ISS GEO Lunar Inner Solar

System

Launch Sets

Launch Year Rocket name Fuel type Launched Cubes2006 Dnepr-I Liquid Throughout 142007 Minotaur I Solid Throughout 22007 Dnepr-I Liquid Throughout 72008 Falcon I Liquid Throughout 22009 Minotaur I Solid Throughout 42010 Minotaur IV Solid Throughout 22010 Falcon 9 Liquid Throughout 82011 Taurus XL Solid Throughout 32011 Delta II Liquid Stages w/ Solid Boosters 52012 Atlas V Liquid Stages w/ Solid Boosters 92012 Vega Solid Throughout 72013 Minotaur I Solid Throughout 122013 Atlas V Liquid Stages w/ Solid Boosters 102014 Dnepr-I Liquid Throughout 282014 Falcon 9 Liquid Throughout 5

CalSat Concept

NASA, “NASA Announces University CubeSat Space Mission Candidates”

CalSat 3-D Preliminary Model

Dosimeter

Pressure Sensor

Accelerometer / ShockSensor

Vibration / TemperatureSensorMotherboard

JPL/CSULB Partnership

CSULB

Survey of CubeSat programs

Assist with building of CalSat

Assist with creation of CalSat

education program

JPL

Define environmental

tests and interactions

CalSat development and

creation

Expert Knowledge for CalSat education program

CalSat Summary

Create the first (Non-Flying) CubeSat designed to validate/calibrate environmental testing equipment

Create Launch & Mission specific sets of testing procedures to better reflect actual flight stresses and mission environmental interactions

Develop an educational program for universities to follow, focused on CubeSats