Solid State Inflation Balloon Active Deorbiter: Scalable Low-Cost Deorbit System for Small Satellites

The goal of the Solid State Inflation Balloon Active Deorbiter project is to develop and demonstrate a scalable, simple, reliable, and low-cost active deorbiting system capable of controlling the downrange point of impact for the full-range of small satellites from 1 kg to 180 kg. The key enabling technology being developed is the Solid State Gas Generator (SSGG) chip, generating pure nitrogen gas from sodium azide (NaN3) micro-crystals. Coupled with a metalized nonelastic drag balloon, the complete Solid State Inflation Balloon (SSIB) system is capable of repeated inflation/deflation cycles. The SSGG minimizes size, weight, electrical power, and cost when compared to the current state of the art

Solar Sails : Technology and demonstration status

Solar Sail propulsion has been validated in space (IKAROS, 2012) and soon several more solar-sail propelled spacecraft will be flown. Using sunlight for spacecraft propulsion is not a new idea. First proposed by Frederick Tsander and Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in the 1920's, NASA's Echo 1 balloon, launched in 1960, was the first spacecraft for which the effects of solar photon pressure were measured. Solar sails reflect sunlight to achieve thrust, thus eliminating the need for costly and often very-heavy fuel. Such "propellantless" propulsion will enable whole new classes of space science and exploration missions previously not considered possible due to the propulsive-intense maneouvers and operations required

TechEdSat Nano-Satellite Series Fact Sheet

TechEdSat-3p is the second generation in the TechEdSat-X series. The TechEdSat Series uses the CubeSat standards established by the California Polytechnic State University Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo. With typical blocks being constructed from 1-unit (1U 10x10x10 cm) increments, the TechEdSat-3p has a 3U volume with a 30 cm length. The project uniquely pairs advanced university students with NASA researchers in a rapid design-to-flight experience lasting 1-2 semesters.The TechEdSat Nano-Satellite Series provides a rapid platform for testing technologies for future NASA Earth and planetary missions, as well as providing students with an early exposure to flight hardware development and management

CubeSub - A CubeSat Based Submersible Testbed for Space Technology

This report is a Master's Thesis in Aerospace Engineering, performed at the NASA Ames Research Center. It describes the development of the CubeSub, a submersible testbed compatible with the CubeSat form factor. The CubeSub will be used to mature technology and operational procedures to be used in space exploration, and possibly also as a tool for exploration of Earthly environments. CubeSats are carried as payloads, either containing technology to be tested or experiments and sensors for scientific use. The CubeSub is designed to be built up by modules, which can be assembled in different configurations to fulfill different needs. Each module is powered individually and intermodular communication is wireless, reducing the need for wiring. The inside of the hull is flooded with ambient water to simplify the interaction between payloads and surrounding environment. The overall shape is similar to that of a conventional AUV, slender and smooth. This is to make for a low drag, reduce the risk of snagging on surrounding objects and make it possible to deploy through an ice sheet via a narrow borehole. Rapid prototyping is utilized to a large extent, with full-scale prototypes being constructed through 3D-printing and with COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) components. Arduino boards are used for control and internal communication. Modules required for basic operation have been designed, manufactured and tested. Each module is described with regards to its function, design and manufacturability. By performing tests in a pool it was found that the basic concept is sound and that future improvements include better controllability, course stability and waterproofing of electrical components. Further development is needed to make the CubeSub usable for its intended purposes. The largest gains are expected to be found by developing the software and improving controllability

Functional and Qualification Testing of the InflateSail Technology Demonstrator

InflateSail is a 3U CubeSat with 2U dedicated to an experimental drag deorbiting system. The deployable sail has an area of 10m2 and sits atop a 1m long inflatable rigidizable mast. InflateSail is scheduled for launch in 2016 as a technology demonstrator satellite of the QB50 mission. This paper describes the payload functional and qualification tests

Sheath-Based Rollable Lenticular-Shaped and Low-Stiction Composite Boom

Various embodiments provide rollable and deployable composite booms that may be used in a wide range of applications both for space and terrestrial structural solutions. Various embodiment composite booms may be bistable, i.e. having a stable strain energy minimum in the coiled configuration as well as the in the deployed configuration. In various embodiments, a boom may be fabricated by aligning two independent tape-springs front-to-front encircled by a durable seamless polymer sleeve. The durable seamless polymer sleeve may allow the two tape-springs to slide past each other during the coiling/deployment process so as to reduce, e.g., minimize, shear and its derived problems

Removing Orbital Debris with Lasers

Orbital debris in low Earth orbit (LEO) are now sufficiently dense that the use of LEO space is threatened by runaway collisional cascading. A problem predicted more than thirty years ago, the threat from debris larger than about 1 cm demands serious attention. A promising proposed solution uses a high power pulsed laser system on the Earth to make plasma jets on the objects, slowing them slightly, and causing them to re-enter and burn up in the atmosphere. In this paper, we reassess this approach in light of recent advances in low-cost, light-weight modular design for large mirrors, calculations of laser-induced orbit changes and in design of repetitive, multi-kilojoule lasers, that build on inertial fusion research. These advances now suggest that laser orbital debris removal (LODR) is the most cost-effective way to mitigate the debris problem. No other solutions have been proposed that address the whole problem of large and small debris. A LODR system will have multiple uses beyond debris removal. International cooperation will be essential for building and operating such a system.Comment: 37 pages, 15 figures, in preparation for submission to Advances in Space Researc

Orbital Debris Mitigation: Exploring CubeSat Drag Sail Technology

In an era marked by remarkable advancements in space exploration and research, the advent of satellite technology has contributed accordingly to the lives of people here on Earth. Through applications that tie into broadband connectivity, weather forecasting, disaster management, etc., the occupancy in orbital domains like Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) only continues to grow. However, the presence of orbital debris emerges as a significant concern, posing threats to both operational satellites and future space missions. Resulting as a consequence due to decades of activities since the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, as more countries ventured into space so did the number of spacecraft, each leaving behind remnants of their missions (The Aerospace Corporation, 2022). Coupled with major events such as China’s Anti-Satellite Test in 2007 and Iridium-Cosmos’ Collision in 2009 producing thousands of fragments from destroyed space assets, this furthered the overall accumulation of space debris (Hadley, 2023; National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2009). As it stands now, more than 27,000 pieces of orbital debris traveling approximately 15,700 mph have been recorded in LEO (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2021). Varying in size and carrying the potential to deal substantial damage, orbital debris mitigation measures are of paramount importance to ensure the sustainability for continued space operations long-term

Verification, Validation and Payload Identification of a Hardware-in-the-loop Simulation Platform for In-orbit Systems

This thesis discusses the development of a hardware-in-the-loop simulation platform for emulating the contact of rigid bodies in orbit, such as an active debris removal mission of a Deorbiter CubeSat in low Earth orbit. The hardware-in-the-loop simulation platform, called the Mission Analysis Robotic Kit II (MARK-II), is located in Brampton at MDA Space’s Dynamic Robotic Emulation and Mixed Reality laboratory and features a custom serial manipulator that is equipped with a Force-Moment-Sensor (FMS) to emulate the contact dynamics of free-floating bodies. The motion of the Deorbiter CubeSat is simulated in MARK-II software, and the force or moment measured by the FMS accelerates the simulated CubeSat according to the programmed inertia. The tip of MARK-II carries a CubeSat attachment mechanism payload that emulates CubeSat motion and reacts to contact as if it were an in-orbit inertial body. MARK-II is verified and validated according to the testing needs of the Deorbiter CubeSat, which indicate that the MARK-II FMS does not accurately measure the contact force and moment required for testing the Deorbiter CubeSat due to sensor noise, gravity, and payload dynamics. To address this, the FMS is replaced with a more accurate FMS model and two algorithms are proposed to estimate the mass, centre-of-mass position, and moment of inertia tensor of the payload. The first algorithm uses joint telemetry data to estimate payload parameters. The second algorithm uses the FMS and an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) attached to the payload to calculate the payload parameters, which is more accurate for estimating payload parameters according to experimental results. The payload mass and inertia parameters are utilised in a Kalman filter that fuses sensor data from the FMS and the IMU to filter out payload gravity and dynamics and accurately measure the contact wrench on the payload. Experimental results show that the proposed Kalman filter successfully filters out sensor noise and the weight and dynamics of the payload while preserving accurate measurement of the contact force and torque.M.A.S

ARKSAT. The First Operational Demonstrator of Novel Ground Tracking and Deorbiting Technology Towards Active Spectroscopic for Small Satellite System

The ARKSAT Cube-Satellite Missions will be the first student-led satellites in the State of Arkansas and have been developed primarily at the University of Arkansas (UA)-Fayetteville. The primary goal is the technology development and flight demonstration in pursuit of the Active SpecTROmeter for Small Satellites System (ASTROSS), utilizing formation flights of cooperating light emitters (ARKSAT-3E) and receivers/spectrometers. ARKSAT-1, to be presented at this meeting, is a 1U CubeSat that aims to test critical UA-developed subsystems, including a high-power LED (∼ 12,000 lumens) and novel deorbiting balloon. The follow-on ARKSAT-2, to be launched in 2024, will test flight control subsystems intended for the receiver spacecraft. The total ASTROSS system is expected to be flight tested in the 2026 time frame and would demonstrate its feasibility as a low-cost, active spectroscopy platform with the potential for use in future planetary missions. ARKSAT-1 tests include a ground tracking capability using a terrestrial telescope scanning the nadir pointed LED and LEO-to-surface atmospheric measurements. ARKSAT-1 is made up of UA developed subsystems including the Power System, High-Power LED, Onboard Computer, Guidance, Navigation and Control, Balloon Deorbiter, and Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS). ARKSAT-1’s ADCS is based on a remote sensing suite that includes visible and infrared cameras mounted externally on each face of the CubeSat. The data collected from the sensor suite is used to estimate the locations of the Sun, Moon, and Earth relative to the spacecraft. One face features four infrared cameras that enable finer nadir detection coupled with the face mounted magnetorquers for nadir-pointing. The HighPower LED is also located on this face, allowing ground telescopes to track the satellite as it passes overhead. The performance testing of this system is a critical component of the mission set of ARKSAT-3E, which requires the ability to precisely direct light emitters in order to take spectroscopic measurements. The deorbiting module, when activated, will heat and break down Sodium Azide located inside wells onboard the subsystem. This releases Nitrogen gas to fill a Mylar balloon, significantly increasing drag. ARKSAT-1 will provide an in-space test platform to characterize this simple for small satellites to deorbit within the 25 year orbital disposal requirement. The ARKSAT-1 hardware and software have already been fully tested and developed and were delivered to Nanoracks in December 2022. It is manifested aboard SpaceX-27 to launch in March 2023 and deploy from the International Space Station in late April 2023. Once deployed, the satellite will begin initial onboard system diagnostics and initiate the communication link with the ground station. Then all subsystems and components of the sensor suite will be calibrated and in the months afterward, we will be testing the system’s full capabilities including communication, nadir pointing, capturing visible and infrared images, and data management. At the conclusion of the mission, we will test the deorbiter system and quantify its impact on the satellite’s orbit