Program management for concurrent university satellite programs, including propellant feed system design elements

Propulsion options for CubeSats are limited but are necessary for the CubeSat industry to continue future growth. Challenges to CubeSat propulsion include volume/mass constraints, availability of sufficiently small and certified hardware, secondary payload status, and power requirements. A multi-mode (chemical and electric) thruster was developed by at the Missouri University of Science and Technology to enable CubeSat propulsion missions. Two satellite buses, a 3U and 6U, are under development to demonstrate the multi-mode thruster\u27s capabilities. Two key challenges related to these missions are the development of the feed system to support the thruster and management of the two bus programs\u27 personnel, resources, timelines, and budgets. The feed system was designed to support the unique needs of the thruster, within the constraints and budget of a student-designed propulsion system, while minimizing risk as a secondary payload. This resulted in the development of a unique method to pressurize propellant stored in the feed system tubing. Within the expected operating pressure range, the method was experimentally shown to provide sufficient pressure and propellant volume to the thruster to meet mission success criteria. The 3U and 6U CubeSat buses were designed concurrently with complimentary payloads, hardware, objectives, and team structures, and required careful management of resources between the two teams. With proper management, the two programs have been able to support one another through collaboration. Lessons learned include experience with design, testing, and assembly of hardware, team training/mentoring and motivation, improved documentation practices, and risk management --Abstract, page iii

Program management for concurrent university satellite programs, including propellant feed system design elements

Propulsion options for CubeSats are limited but are necessary for the CubeSat industry to continue future growth. Challenges to CubeSat propulsion include volume/mass constraints, availability of sufficiently small and certified hardware, secondary payload status, and power requirements. A multi-mode (chemical and electric) thruster was developed by at the Missouri University of Science and Technology to enable CubeSat propulsion missions. Two satellite buses, a 3U and 6U, are under development to demonstrate the multi-mode thruster\u27s capabilities. Two key challenges related to these missions are the development of the feed system to support the thruster and management of the two bus programs\u27 personnel, resources, timelines, and budgets. The feed system was designed to support the unique needs of the thruster, within the constraints and budget of a student-designed propulsion system, while minimizing risk as a secondary payload. This resulted in the development of a unique method to pressurize propellant stored in the feed system tubing. Within the expected operating pressure range, the method was experimentally shown to provide sufficient pressure and propellant volume to the thruster to meet mission success criteria. The 3U and 6U CubeSat buses were designed concurrently with complimentary payloads, hardware, objectives, and team structures, and required careful management of resources between the two teams. With proper management, the two programs have been able to support one another through collaboration. Lessons learned include experience with design, testing, and assembly of hardware, team training/mentoring and motivation, improved documentation practices, and risk management --Abstract, page iii

On-Orbit CubeSat Performance Validation of a Multi-Mode Micropropulsion System

Small satellite missions open the space environment to a wide range of diverse missions. NASA has indicated that these satellites will be a paradigm shift for NASA and the larger space community. Currently, most of these small satellites cannot utilize a propulsion sys- tem due to size and mass constraints; however, research being performed at the Missouri University of Science and Technology may soon change that. The Missouri S&T Satellite Research team is in the process of developing two CubeSat missions that will validate a multi-mode micropropulsion system developed in collaboration with the Missouri S&T Aerospace Plasma Laboratory. Unique challenges to these missions include packaging the propulsion system and validating its performance on orbit. Methods of thruster performance validation being considered include comparison of on-orbit pressure, voltage and temperature telemetry to ground test data and comparing expected orbit/attitude changes resulting from maneuver executions to the actual changes estimated from downlinked spacecraft telemetry. A final mission Concept of Operations is developed to facilitate an effective evaluation/validation of thruster performance

Recent Efforts Enabling Martian Rotorcraft Missions

The Mars Helicopter (MH), launching as a part of the Mars 2020 mission, will begin a new era of planetary exploration. Mars research has historically been conducted through landers, rovers, and satellites. As both government and private industries prepare for human exploration of the Martian surface within two decades, more in depth knowledge of what awaits on the surface is critical. Planetary aerial vehicles increase the range of terrain that can be examined, compared to traditional landers and rovers and have more near surface capability than orbiters. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and NASA Ames are currently exploring possibilities for a Mars Science Helicopter (MSH), a second-generation Mars rotorcraft with the capability of conducting science investigations independently of a lander or rover (although this type of vehicle could also be used assist rovers or landers in future missions). Preliminary designs of coaxial-helicopter and hexacopter configurations have targeted the minimum capability of lifting a payload in the range of two to three kilograms with an overall vehicle mass of approximately twenty kilograms. These MSH designs sizes are constrained by the aeroshell dimensions(currently focused on employing legacy Pathfinder or MSL aeroshells), rather than vehicle structural or aeroperformance limitations. Feasibility of the MSH configurations has been investigated considering packaging/deployment, rotor aerodynamics, and structural analysis studies. Initial findings suggest not only the overall feasibility of MSH configurations but also indicate that improvements up to 11.1 times increase in range or 1.3 times increase in hover time might be achievable, even with an additional science payload, compared to the current design of the MH