• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.430-436
• /
• 2014

The mission objective of STEP Cube Lab. (Cube Laboratory for Space Technology Experimental Project) classified as a pico-class satellite is to verify the technical effectiveness of payloads such as variable emittance radiator, SMA washer, oscillating heat pipe and MEMS based solid propellant thruster researched at domestic universities. In addition, the MEMS concentrating photovoltaic power system and the non-explosive holding and separation mechanism with the advantages of high constraint force and low shock level will be developed as the primary payloads for on-orbit verification. In this study, the feasibility of the mission actualization has been confirmed by the preliminary system design.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.335-344
• /
• 2016

Scientific CubeSat with Instruments for Global Magnetic Fields and Radiations (SIGMA) is a 3-U size CubeSat that will be operated in low earth orbit (LEO). The SIGMA communication system uses a very high frequency (VHF) band for uplink and an ultra high frequency (UHF) band for downlink. Both frequencies belong to an amateur band. The ground station that communicates with SIGMA is located at Kyung Hee Astronomical Observatory (KHAO). For reliable communication, we carried out a laboratory (LAB) test and far-field tests between the CubeSat and a ground station. In the field test, we considered test parameters such as attenuation, antenna deployment, CubeSat body attitude, and Doppler frequency shift in transmitting commands and receiving data. In this paper, we present a communication performance test of SIGMA, a link budget analysis, and a field test process. We also compare the link budget with the field test results of transmitting commands and receiving data.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
• /
• v.6 no.5
• /
• pp.427-442
• /
• 2019

Small satellites represent an emerging opportunity to realize a wide range of space missions at lower cost and faster delivery, compared to traditional spacecraft. However, small platforms, such as CubeSats, shall increase their actual capabilities. Miniaturized electric propulsion systems can provide the satellite with the key capability of moving in space. The level of readiness of miniaturized electric propulsion systems is low although many concepts have been developed. The present research intends to build a flexible test platform for the assessment of selected small propulsion systems in relevant environment at laboratory level. Main goal of the research is to analyze the mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and chemical interactions of propulsion systems with the modern CubeSat-technology and to assess the performance of the integrated platform. The test platform is a 6U CubeSat hosting electric propulsion systems, providing mechanical, electrical and data interfaces, able to handle a variety of electric propulsion systems, thanks to the ability to regulate and distribute electric power, to exchange data according to several protocols, and to provide different mechanical layouts. The test platform is ready to start the first verification campaign. The paper describes the detailed design of the platform and the main results of the AIV activities.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
• /
• 2013.04a
• /
• pp.520-521
• /
• 2013

• Journal of Power Electronics
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.631-642
• /
• 2009

The sun is a useful reference direction because of its brightness relative to other astronomical objects and its relatively small apparent radius as viewed by spacecrafts near the Earth. Most satellites use solar power as a source of energy, and so need to make sure that solar panels are oriented correctly with respect to the sun. Also, some satellites have sensitive instruments that must not be exposed to direct sunlight. For all these reasons, sun sensors are important components in spacecraft attitude determination and control systems. To minimize components and structural mass, some components have multiple purposes. The solar cells will provide power and also be used as coarse sun sensors. A coarse Sun sensor is a low-cost attitude determination sensor suitable for a wide range of space missions. The sensor measures the sun angle in two orthogonal axes. The Sun sensor measures the sun angle in both azimuth and elevation. This paper presents the development of a model to determine the attitude of a small cube-shaped satellite in space relative to the sun's direction. This sensor helps small cube-shaped Pico satellites to perform accurate attitude determination without requiring additional hardware.

• Journal of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.195-203
• /
• 2017

A 2U cube satellite called SNUGLITE has been developed by GNSS Research Laboratory in Seoul National University. Its main mission is to perform actual operation by mounting dual-frequency global positioning system (GPS) receivers. Its scientific mission aims to observe space environments and collect data. It is essential for a cube satellite to control an Earth-oriented attitude for reliable and successful data transmission and reception. To this end, an attitude estimation and control algorithm, Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS), has been implemented in the on-board computer (OBC) processor in real time. In this paper, the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) was employed as the attitude estimation algorithm. For the attitude control technique, the Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) was utilized. The algorithm was verified through the processor in the loop simulation (PILS) procedure. To validate the ADCS algorithm in the ground, the experimental verification via a single axis Hardware-in-the-loop simulation (HILS) was used due to the simplicity and cost effectiveness, rather than using the 3-axis HILS verification (Schwartz et al. 2003) with complex air-bearing mechanism design and high cost.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.23-31
• /
• 2012

Thermal analysis and control design are prerequisite essential to design the satellite. In the space environment, it makes satellite survive from extreme hot and cold conditions. In recent years CubeSat mission is developed for many kinds of purpose. Triplet Ionospheric Observatory (TRIO)-CubeSat for Ion, Neutral, Electron, MAgnetic fields (CINEMA) is required to weigh less than 3 kg and operate on minimal 3 W power. In this paper we describe the thermal analysis and control design for TRIO-CINEMA mission. For this thermal analysis, we made a thermal model of the CubeSat with finite element method and NX6.0 TMG software is used to simulate this analysis model. Based on this result, passive thermal control method has been applied to thermal design of CINEMA. In order to get the better conduction between solar panel and chassis, we choose aluminum 6061-T6 for the material property of standoff. We can increase the average temperature of top and bottom solar panels from $-70^{\circ}C$ to $-40^{\circ}C $ and decrease the average temperature of the magnetometer from $+93^{\circ}C$ to $-4^{\circ}C$ using black paint on the surface of the chassis, inside of top & bottom solar panels, and magnetometer.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
• /
• v.11 no.5
• /
• pp.65-75
• /
• 2017

This study proposes development of 3U CubeSat standard platform whose function and performance are verified via KAUSAT-5 development. 3U CubeSat platform specification was selected for the design of 3U Cubesat standard platform by examining existing CubeSat and state-of-art technology, and consequently a universally usable 3U CubeSat platform was designed. Standard platform was manufactured in 1.5U size and developed with a modular concept to be able to add and expand payloads and ADCS actuators for meeting the user's needs. In addition, in case of the power system, the solar panel, the battery, and the deployment mechanism are designed to be configured by the user. In the mechanical system design of a standard platform, subsystem and micro equipment functions/performance could be integrated and miniaturized on micro-sized PCBs and maximized electrical capability to accommodate multiple payloads. In the development of the 3U CubeSat, the satellite platform adopts the developed standard platform, which can reduce the cost and schedule for the whole satellite development by reducing the additional function verification.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.219-228
• /
• 2020

A CubeSat platform has become a popular choice due to inexpensive commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and low launch cost. However, it requires more power-efficient and higher-data rate downlink capability for space applications related to remote sensing. In addition, the platform is limited by the size, weight and power (SWaP) constraints as well as the regulatory issue of licensing the radio frequency (RF) spectrum. The requirements and limitations have put optical communications on promising alternatives to RF communications for a CubeSat platform, owing to the power efficiency and high data rate as well as the license free spectrum. In this study, we analyzed the performance of optical downlink communications compatible with CubeSat platforms in terms of data rate, bit error rate (BER) and outage probability. Mathematical models of BER and outage probability were derived based on not only the log-normal model of atmospheric turbulence but also a transmitter with a finite extinction ratio. Given the fixed slot width, the optimal guard time and modulation orders were chosen to achieve the target data rate. And the two performance metrics, BER and outage data rate, were analyzed and discussed with respect to beam divergence angle, scintillation index and zenith angle.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.579-592
• /
• 2016

CNUSAIL-1, to be launched into low-earth orbit, is a cubesat-class satellite equipped with a $2m{\times}2m$ solar sail. One of CNUSAIL's missions is to deploy its solar sail system, thereby deorbiting the satellite, at the end of the satellite's life. This paper presents the design results of the attitude control system for CNUSAIL-1, which maintains the normal vector of the sail by a 3-axis active attitude stabilization approach. The normal vector can be aligned in two orientations: i) along the anti-nadir direction, which minimizes the aerodynamic drag during the nadir-pointing mode, or ii) along the satellite velocity vector, which maximizes the drag during the deorbiting mode. The attitude control system also includes a B-dot controller for detumbling and an eigen-axis maneuver algorithm. The actuators for the attitude control are magnetic torquers and reaction wheels. The feasibility and performance of the design are verified in high-fidelity nonlinear simulations.