Thin CubeSats and Compact Sensors for Constellations in VLEO to Deep Space

ThinSat form factors have many advantages for constellations and are launched directly from all standard 1U to 27U CubeSat canisters. Currently NSL is completing two 6U constellations for launch in 2023. The Space Weather NASA SBIR Phase II consists of 4 satellites, each with dimension 7.5x10x20cm. Novel and compressed Space Weather instruments are being developed by NSL partners. Each satellite can be divided into two ThinSat sections separated by a 20 cm foldout to serve as a 1) sensor boom, 2) quiet low noise Faraday sensor box, 3) passively cooled from -40 to + 40 C platform, and 4) cleaner sealed sensor environment depending on sensor requirements. The Space Force SBIR Phase II consists of four longer ThinSats with each dimension of 2.5x10x30cm. ThinSats can be connected together to form thicker satellites for larger subsystems and identified as 2T, 3T, 4T, and others. Significant ThinSat advantages include 1) Ease of robotic assembly at lower cost, 2) Larger surface area for solar cells and sensors compared to cubes, 3) Aerodynamic for low altitude ionospheric planetary measurements, 5) Ease for workflow and testing, and 6) Superior low-noise isolation. ThinSats also include 24/7 sat-links using improved Iridium (TX & RX) and previous Globalstar (TX) communication constellations. Recent NSL launches in the past two years will illustrate ThinSat sensor data and orbital results. GEARRS-3, TROOP-1, 2 and 3 launches and NSL ExoSat payload with many miniaturized sensors onboard is scheduled for 2023 launch on NASA EM-1 Deep Space measurements

ID, GPS Tracking, 24/7 Tag Link for CubeSats and Constellations: Flight Results

The tiny 40-gram EyeStar-Tag processor, GPS, and radio link will ID its satellite with GPS and critical status data within a minute after turn-on. The autonomous low power EyeStar Tag GPS (20mW for 3D lock) is now at TRL-9 based on the successful release and operation of the Spaceflight Inc. ring on the 1/24/2021 rideshare launch. The orbit (530 km polar) was projected using GPS seven element arrays to generate, on the fly, the future ephemeris predictions while monitoring critical fight systems. The Tag continues to transmit over the Globalstar network of satellites and ground stations the GPS elements and status with low latency of seconds, even if the primary satellite fails or stops. Whether dead or alive, orbital elements and TLEs for debris tracking, attitude, and ID are available to the 18th Squadron. AFWERX’s SBIR investment helped fast track the Black Box and Tag systems. Key enablers and new architecture are flight referenced for 30 ThinSat constellation launched in February 2021 NG-15. With the Globalstar constellation NSL can monitor a satellite 24/7 anywhere in LEO orbits with data available anytime, without the need for expensive ground stations. With a 100% success in orbit using the NSL EyeStar processor and Globalstar comm systems (110+ radios in space with several tumbling) can contribute to the commercial, educational, and research small satellite market that is rapidly growing. The EyeStar radio is ideal for the next step to advance many NASA, DOD, commercial, and STEM satellites now that appropriate FCC, NTIA, and ITU licenses have all been approved. The aircraft Black Box is well known and is essential for crash diagnostics after the fact, but in addition, the satellite Black Box and processor will operate in Telemetry Tracking and Command (TT&C) mode during the whole mission and will continue TT&C in orbit after a completed or failed mission. The Black Box transmits vital data, health and safety information, GPS, and summary data while in orbit for 24/7 coverage. With its included solar arrays, the Black Box would operate for many years after the primary satellite fails so that essential data and tracking is continuous, and altitude known. If the satellite reawakens after some long failure, the Black Box reports the new status, and the satellite may be reactivated. NSL customers have experienced this wake-up mode after a year on one of our Black Box/EyeStar communication processors after an unexpected two-month “dead” phase and wake. The “dead” satellite was reactivated

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

EyePod: Constellations, Urban Launches & Buoy Landings

Small and low-cost balloons using EyePod-Mini radios are ideal for urban and long duration launches for improving the learning experience. The EyePod-Mini is an all-in-one data and tracking pod with a mass of 150 g including 2.2 AHr batteries. It is significantly less than the mass of the balloon and fits into the balloon neck (3 cm). It communicates with Globalstar satellites for 24/7 global coverage via the internet. An additional low power 900 MHz module and a 2m APRS ham module are also available for real time data and tracking that also fit in the 3 cm tube. Another EyePod option is its design to float in water as a buoy surface monitor and tracked or as a live ground probe in remote regions for additional geo-learning. Because the probe is small it is ideal for balloon constellations making many measurements over an interesting set of time and space coordinates. Multipoint measurements help visualize the dynamics of the atmosphere to better understand weather fronts, thunderstorms, eclipses, and turbulence to improve models and learning. External instrument Pods can be attached to the EyePod mini as well and the data wirelessly connected to the EyePod links. Use of two small balloons for a launch ensures good linear altitude data collection for ascent and decent (no free fall). Small balloons with small radios are ideal for urban launches near water and forest since the experiments can continue to work as ground probes with the satellite link and solar array charging. It is reasonable to launch the EyePod-Mini without the expense of chase and recovery in difficult terrain. Because the EyePod-Mini is a rod like spear without attachment cords it is much easier to recover with treetop landings. For lake landings data can be acquired on the surface as the payload drifts to the shore for pick-up. Because the Globalstar link works globally, long duration flights are possible with useful data over oceans and remote areas

Rapport d'activité année 2000. Programme café (Laos)

Les quatres types d'intervention en milieu contrôlé et villageois proposés pour la programmation 2000 ont pu être suivis et terminés en fin d'année : la poursuite des relations contractualisées avec la station de Itou (suivi général de la pépinière et des propagateurs, suivi et entretien du parc à bois robusta, finition et entretien des champs semenciers robusta de 1 ha et Catimor de 4 ha, suivi de l'entretien général de cinq parcelles); les expérimentations en milieu villageois; les actions de formation et de vulgarisation (pépinières, gestion de l'ombrage, réhabilitation, cultures intercalaires) et les opérations pilotes (décorticage, dépulpage de l'Arabica et production de matériel végétal en milieu villageois

Globalstar Link: From Reentry Altitude and Beyond

Three CubeSats flown in the past two years have successfully mapped Globalstar performance over the altitude range 100 km to 700 km. The Globalstar constellation provides “Anywhere and Anytime” visibility to satellites and is ideal for CubeSats, constellations, and formation flying missions. Globalstar capacity is designed for 2500 channels per Globalstar satellite, potentially enabling hundreds to thousands of simultaneous communication to satellites. Capacity would then extend from the ground to potentially above the Globalstar LEO constellation at 1400km. TSAT (2U) made real-time plasma density and diagnostic measurements in the Extremely Low-Earth Orbit (ELEO) ionospheric region 350 to 110 km for new in-situ Space Weather mapping. TSAT heated at a rate of 20 degrees/min. on reentry at 110 km (reentry physics), yet it maintained a good real-time link with ground stations in Canada and Venezuela where it is believed to have re-entered. The NSL Globalstar flight products now permit new experiments to ELEO orbits in addition to releasing drop radiosondes to explore the Upper Atmosphere (Mesosphere) coupling with the lower atmosphere. Preliminary results are presented from the Globalstar Experiment and Risk Reduction Satellites (GEARRS1 and GEARRS2). GEARRS1 (3U) was launched from the ISS and verified the Globalstar CDMA protocol and Duplex SMS messaging. GEARRS2 (3U) was launched with an Atlas rocket on May 20, 2015 into a 350 by 700 km orbit and the Simplex communication and instrumentation operated well for 9 months beyond the mission expected lifetime (high TRL and radiation tolerant). Improved global coverage maps of the Simplex and Duplex performance are presented. Global maps of Duplex RF pulse data indicate that the Duplex may have good global coverage when on a 3 axis stabilized satellite to permit necessary connect time. Using a small permanent magnet for attitude control, the two patch antennas (1.616 GHz) and loss-cone energetic particle detector point up and down the earth’s magnetic field lines. The three SSD detectors mapped the precipitating and trapped particle flux in the aurora zone, the SAMA, the trapping boundary, and the internal penetrating radiation dose. Several new Globalstar flight radios are manifested for launch with three axis stabilization, so that Duplex large file transfer can be characterized. TSAT and GEARRS data indicate a strong side lobe link that may reach to high MEO altitude

Architecture & Manufacture for 1/7U to 27U 60 ThinSat Constellations: Flight Results

New architectural and affordable Advanced Manufacturing (AM) techniques were successfully demonstrated on eight 1U-6U CubeSat payloads, launched over the past 8 months, followed by the launch of a sixty ThinSat (1/7U) constellation on April 17, 2019. The modular AM CubeSat systems tested in orbit (TRL=9) included new robotic manufacturing of unibody and articulating foldout structures, robotic assembly and testing of Globalstar Simplex radios, new ThinSat form factor, and many other subsystems. The Globalstar links for the eight commercial CubeSats were all 100% successful and demonstrated for the first time, excellent polar 24/7 global coverage with latency of only several seconds. The new NSL “Black Box” with GPS is flight proven for near real-time tracking, ID verification, diagnostics, satellite recovery, and as a powerful redundant link. The constellation of 60 educational ThinSats were successfully deployed from the three 3U launch tubes, with the novel spring-loaded articulating panels all appeared to have unfolded gracefully. Within the first 12 hours 52 of the 60 ThinSats turned on immediately to reported back the satellite and student payload status. With a relatively high tumbling rate, about 5% of the full packets were received; however, over 95% of the partial packets were received

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least 4 m. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the 6.5 m James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 yr, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit