Lessons Learned from the Development and Flight of the First Miniature Tethered Electrodynamics Experiment (MiTEE-1)

The Miniature Tether Electrodynamics Experiment (MiTEE) CubeSat team is a technological advancement project intended to evaluate technology for Electrodynamic Tether (EDT) propulsion on very small pico- and femto-satellite platforms. MiTEE is demonstrating this through a series of missions starting with MiTEE-1, a 3U CubeSat designed to characterize the electron current collection behavior of a biased, simulated picosat mounted at the end of a 1-meter deployable boom. In addition, a miniaturized Langmuir probe electronics board was flown to characterize the ambient plasma environment. MiTEE-1 was launched successfully with Virgin Orbit’s Launch Demo 2 flight on NASA’s 20th Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa XX) mission, January 17, 2021

Exploring the Potential of Miniature Electrodynamic Tethers and Developments in the Miniature Tether Electrodynamics Experiment

The success of nanospacecraft has spurred an interest in using even smaller satellites for longer-duration, constellation scale missions, requiring the use of a propulsion source on board to counteract the effects of drag and for coordination and maneuverability. Previous papers have shown that the use of short electrodynamic tethers (EDTs) has the potential to provide propellentless propulsion for drag make-up and the ability to change orbits of these small satellites. The Miniature Tether Electrodynamics Experiment (MiTEE) mission is a student-led technology demonstration mission by the University of Michigan to demonstrate the use of these short EDTs in a 1U CubeSat frame. This paper presents updates for the major MiTEE subsystems. The mission has progressed significantly with the use of a high-altitude balloon flight successfully demonstrating the communications subsystem and satellite integration. The paper concludes with an overview of the future plans for the MiTEE mission

Development of Electrodynamic Tethers for Propellantless Propulsion in Low-Earth Orbit

The Miniature Tether Electrodynamic Experiment-1 (MiTEE-1) is a University of Michigan faculty research project, backed by student research and leadership, consisting of a 3U CubeSat with a shortrigid boom electrodynamic tether (EDT) connecting a picosatellite providing enhanced current collection. It is the first of two satellite missions working towards a technology demonstration and increased knowledge of CubeSat spacecraft charging dynamics. This will thus allow for increased refinement and full operation of an EDT spacecraft system capable of station keeping activities on MiTEE-2. The mission of the MiTEE organization is to demonstrate and refine the technology needed to successfully use electrodynamic tethers on CubeSat and smaller platforms. With a final goal of producing a pico (100g-1000g) to femto (\u3c 100g) sized pair of satellites capable of complex station keeping activities further advancing the ability to create low cost, long term, and controllable satellite constellations. The following paper describes the MiTEE-1 spacecraft, proposed operations, and the hardware needed to demonstrate a miniature EDT housed in a 3U body

Integration of Geophysical Parameters for Electrodynamic Tether Propulsion Modeling Environment

Electrodynamic tether propulsion enables a future for very small satellites to operate over theoretically infinite orbital lifetimes, subjected to material lifetimes in the space environment. The advantage of electrodynamic tethers relying on the in-situ collection of electrons for propulsion from the ionosphere makes this an attractive alternative to consumable propulsion systems. However, the extremely complex electrodynamics and mechanical dynamics of operating this system in the space environment requires a robust modeling environment. This report explores the recent developments to integrate updated geophysical parameters into the TEMPEST modeling software to support this goal. The discussion is introduced by a detailed exploration of the fundamental tradeoffs of a CubeSat versus traditional satellite system and how electrodynamic tethers can bridge this gap. The report is then concluded by a summary of the motivations of the MiTEE CubeSat Program and the progress into this modeling endeavor.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/169563/1/Honors_Capstone_Miller_Mitchel.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/169563/2/Honors_Capstone_Miller_Mitchel_slides.pd

Investigating Miniature Electrodynamic Tethers and Interaction with the Low Earth Orbit Plasma

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106509/1/AIAA2013-5391.pd

Editorial: Statistics and forensic science

Forensic science is usually taken to mean the application of a broad spectrum of scientific tools to answer questions of interest to the legal system. Despite such popular television series as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and its spinoffs--CSI: Miami and CSI: New York--on which the forensic scientists use the latest high-tech scientific tools to identify the perpetrator of a crime and always in under an hour, forensic science is under assault, in the public media, popular magazines [Talbot (2007), Toobin (2007)] and in the scientific literature [Kennedy (2003), Saks and Koehler (2005)]. Ironically, this growing controversy over forensic science has occurred precisely at the time that DNA evidence has become the ``gold standard'' in the courts, leading to the overturning of hundreds of convictions many of which were based on clearly less credible forensic evidence, including eyewitness testimony [Berger (2006)].Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/07-AOAS140 the Annals of Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

MAGSEAL Delta Seal Gland Fixturing Device

This report is an in-depth analysis of Team 30’s research and progress pertaining to the assigned capstone project. The scope of the capstone project is to provide the sponsor, MAGSEAL, with a gland fixturing device that can hold at least 3 gland seals within the working confines of the facility’s CNC machine. The final iteration will utilize an aluminum base plate with retrofitted designs from Team 30 to fixture the gland seals in a simple manner without the use of electronics or pneumatics. Only simple mechanical actions from a human operator will be used to load and unload gland seals to and from this fixture plate. Throughout the course of the year, Team 30 has performed extensive research and development to formulate designs that will secure these seals to an aluminum base plate fixture. For this project to be successfully executed within the confines of a $5,000.00 budget, Team 30 decided to design a singular mock-up of the base plate to experiment with various securement designs. This aluminum base plate was fabricated from a 2” thick slab of aluminum which is easy to manipulate and test the team’s designs on. With the budget presented, Team 30 has provisions to buy the materials necessary, and ensure the ease of use for the operator as well as the successful integration of the Team’s designs into an aluminum base plate. The scope of this report is from when the project was assigned on September 17, 2018 to May 6, 2019. This project has undergone many design changes since the beginning of the year. We believe that we successfully design a product that would satisfy all of the goals presented to Team 30 by MAGSEAL. Although we successfully completed all design work, we unfortunately were not able to completely manufacture the final working product. We are confident that we have provided sufficient materials, drawings, and designs for this product to be fully recreated by MAGSEAL if they so choose

The Death of Ken Saro-Wiwa: Its Moral Implications on Nigeria

This study is centered on the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa and its moral implications on Nigeria. The study adopts both the philosophical and sociological approaches. Findings from the study revealed that Ken Saro-Wiwa was outspoken among a group of nine activists from Ogoni of Niger Delta region of Nigeria; popularly called ‘the Ogoni Nine’ who were executed by hanging in 1995 by the military government of General Sani Abacha. Ken Saro-Wiwa and his fellow Ogoni activists were arrested, detailed and charged by a ‘Kangaroo’ court with murder and conspiracy to murder of four prominent Ogoni men who were allegedly brutally murdered by a Mob on the 21st May, 1994 at Giokoo in Gokana Local Government Areas of Ogoni. Ken Saro-Wiwa, an author, playwright, MOSOP spokesman was viewed by different people in different ways. For some people he was a freedom fighter, an ethical egoist, a utilitarian, an existentialist, while to others, he was a controversial figure. The ideas which Ken Saro-Wiwa and nine other Ogonis died for include justices, equity and freedom of all Nigerians. These ideas found expression in the Ogoni Bill of Right (OBR) and many of Ken Saro-Wiwa’s write ups, epistles and books. The death of the nine Ogoni activists was pathetic, brutal, sorrowful, unjust, sacrificial and motivating in nature. By implications the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other nine Ogoni activists have raised consciousness among minority people of Nigeria over their fundamental human rights and increase agitations for resources control and true federalism amongst others