• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.271-290
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• 2020

The paper describes the analysis of deployment strategies and trajectories design suitable for executing the inspection of an operative spacecraft in orbit through re-usable CubeSats. Similar missions have been though indeed, and one mission recently flew from the International Space Station. However, it is important to underline that the inspection of an operative spacecraft in orbit features some peculiar characteristics which have not been demonstrated by any mission flown to date. The most critical aspects of the CubeSat inspection mission stem from safety issues and technology availability in the following areas: trajectory design and motion control of the inspector relative to the target, communications architecture, deployment and retrieval of the inspector, and observation needs. The objectives of the present study are 1) the identification of requirements applicable to the deployment of a nanosatellite from the mother-craft, which is also the subject of the inspection, and 2) the identification of solutions for the trajectories to be flown along the mission phases. The mission for the in-situ observation of Space Rider is proposed as reference case, but the conclusions are applicable to other targets such as the ISS, and they might also be useful for missions targeted at debris inspection.

• 항공우주시스템공학회지
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.34-39
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• 2012

CubeSats classified as pico-class satellite require a ground station to track the satellite, transmit a command, and receive an on-orbit data such as SOH (State-of-Health) and mission data according to the operation plan. For this, ground station system has to be properly designed to perform a communication to with the satellite with enough up- and down-link budgets. In this study, a conceptual design of the ground station has been performed for the CubeSat named as STEP Cube Lab. (Cube Laboratory for Space Technology Experimental Project). The paper includes a ground station hardware interface design, link budget analysis and a ground station software realization. In addition, the operation plan of the ground station has been established considering the STEP Cube Lab. mission requirements.

• 항공우주시스템공학회지
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.37-42
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• 2015

The CubeSats is classified as a pico-class satellite which requires a ground station to track the satellite, transmit commands, and receive an on-orbit data such as SOH (State-of-Health) and mission data according to the operation plan. In order to this, the ground station system has to be properly designed to perform a communication to with the satellite with enough up- and down-link budgets. In this study, a conceptual design of the ground station has been performed for the CubeSat named as STEP Cube Lab. (Cube Laboratory for Space Technology Experimental Project). The paper includes a ground station hardware interface design, a link budget analysis and a ground station software realization. In addition, the operation plan of the ground station has been established considering the STEP Cube Lab. mission requirements.

• 천문학회보
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.58.4-59
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• 2021

This presentation introduces Korea's SNIPE (Small scale magNespheric and Ionospheric Plasma Experiment) mission, formation flying CubeSat constellation. Observing particles and waves on a single satellite suffers from inherent space-time ambiguity. To observe spatial and temporal variations of the micro-scale plasma structures on the topside ionosphere, four 6U CubeSats (~ 10 kg) will be launched into a polar orbit of the altitude of ~500 km in 2021. The distances of each satellite will be controlled from 10 km to more than 100 km by formation flying algorithm. The SNIPE mission is equipped with identical scientific instruments, solid-state telescope, magnetometer, and Langmuir probe. All the payloads have a high temporal resolution (sampling rates of about 10 Hz). Iridium modules provide an opportunity to upload changes in operational modes when geomagnetic storms occur. SNIPE's observations of the dimensions, occurrence rates, amplitudes, and spatiotemporal evolution of polar cap patches, field-aligned currents (FAC), radiation belt microbursts, and equatorial and mid-latitude plasma blobs and bubbles will determine their significance to the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere interaction and quantify their impact on space weather.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• 제6권5호
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• pp.427-442
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• 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.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.195-215
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• 2022

The increasing interest in CubeSat platforms ant their capability of enlarging the frontier of possible missions impose technology improvements. Miniaturized electrical propulsion (EP) systems enable new mission for multi-unit CubeSats (6U+). While electric propulsion systems have achieved important level of knowledge at equipment level, the investigation of the mutual impact between EP system and CubeSat technology at system level can provide a decisive improvement for both the technologies. The interaction between CubeSat and EP system should be assessed in terms of electromagnetic emissions (both radiated and conducted), thermal gradients, high electrical power management, surface chemical deposition, and quick and reliable data exchanges. This paper shows how a versatile CubeSat Test Platform (CTP), together with standardized procedures and specialized facilities enable the acquisition fundamental and unprecedented information. Measurements can be taken both by specific ground support equipment placed inside the vacuum facility and by dedicated sensors and subsystems installed on the CTP, providing a completely new set of data never obtained before. CTP is constituted of a 6U primary structure hosting the EP system, representative CubeSat avionics and batteries. For the first test campaign, CTP hosts the ambipolar plasma propulsion system, called Regulus and developed by T4I. After the integration and the functional test in laboratory environment, CTP + Regulus performed a Test campaign in relevant environment in the vacuum chamber at CISAS, University of Padua. This paper is focused on the test campaign description and the main results achieved at different power levels for different duration of the firings.

• 항공우주시스템공학회지
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.104-109
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• 2023

큐브위성 경연대회는 2023년 현재까지 6회 개최되어 총 21팀이 선정되었고 이 중 5회 대회까지 선정된 큐브위성 15기는 모두 성공적으로 발사되어 지구 저궤도에 진입하였다. 2022년 6회 경연대회에서 선정된 큐브위성 6기는 상세설계를 진행중이며 한국형 발사체에 탑재되어 2025년에 발사될 예정이다. 본 연구에서는 2012년, 2013년, 2015년, 2017년, 2019년 5회 대회까지 큐브위성 경연대회 선정팀이 제출한 초기운영 보고서를 기반으로 큐브위성 15기의 발사 후 임무수행 결과와 임무실패 원인을 분석하였고, 이를 바탕으로 향후 개발될 큐브위성의 발사 후 임무성공 향상 방안을 제시하였다.

• 한국항공우주학회지
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.114-123
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• 2017

Little Intelligent Nanosatellite of KAIST(LINK)는 카이스트 항공우주 시스템 및 제어연구실(ASCL)에서 국제협력 프로젝트인 QB50의 일환으로 개발한 2U 크기의 큐브위성이다. QB50 프로젝트의 과학적 임무 목적은 열권 및 이온층 대기를 관측하는 것이며, 2017년 1분기부터 국제우주정거장에서 순차적으로 발사될 예정이다. 상기의 임무 구현을 위해 최종 비행모델을 개발하였으며, 수락 수준(Acceptance level)의 요구조건에 따라 환경시험 및 기능시험을 수행하여 위성의 성능 및 설계의 검증을 완료하였다. 본 논문에서는 비행모델 개발과 진동시험 및 열진공시험 결과에 대해 기술하였다.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.235-248
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• 2019

This paper suggests a relative orbit control strategy for the CubeSat Astronomy by NASA and Yonsei using Virtual Telescope Alignment eXperiment (CANYVAL-X) mission whose main goal is to demonstrate an essential technique, which is an arrangement among two satellites and a specific celestial object, referred to as inertial alignment, for a next-generation virtual space telescope. The inertial alignment system is a relative orbit control system and has requirements for the relative state. Through the proposed orbit control strategy, consisting of separation, proximity keeping, and reconfiguration, the requirements will be satisfied. The separation direction of the two CubeSats with respect to the orbital plane is decided to provide advantageous initial condition to the orbit controller. Proximity keeping is accomplished by differential atmospheric drag control (DADC), which generates acceleration by changing the spacecraft's effective cross section via attitude control rather than consuming propellant. Reconfiguration is performed to meet the requirements after proximity keeping. Numerical simulations show that the requirements can be satisfied by the relative orbit control strategy. Furthermore, through numerical simulations, it is demonstrated that the inertial alignment can be achieved. A beacon signal had been received for several months after the launch; however, we have lost the signal at present.

• 천문학회보
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• 제45권1호
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• pp.39.3-40
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• 2020

For the space weather research, KASI (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) is developing the SNIPE (Small-scale magNetospheric and Ionospheric Plasma Experiment) mission, which consists of four 6U CubeSats of ~10 kg. Besides of space weather research, the SNIPE mission has another astrophysical objective, detecting Gamma-Ray Bursts(GRB). By cross-correlating the light curves of the detected GRBs, the fleet shall be able to determine the time difference of the arriving signal between the satellites and thus determine the position of bright short bursts with an accuracy ~100'. To demonstrate the technology of the GRB observation, CSI gamma-ray detectors combined with GPS and IRIDIUM communication modules are placed on each SNIPE CubeSat. The time of each spacecraft is synchronized and when the GRB is detected, the light curve will be transferred to the Mission Operation Center (MOC) by IRIDIUM communication module. By measuring time difference of each GRB signals, the technology for localization of GRB will be proved. If the results show some possibilities, we can challenge the new astrophysical mission for investigating the origin of GRB.