CubeSat: The Wee Space Box.

April 22, 2023 © Clyde Space Ltd 2010

CubeSat:The Wee Space Box.

Craig Clark

April 22, 2023 © Clyde Space Ltd 2010

WHAT ARE CUBESATS?

April 22, 2023 © Clyde Space Ltd 2010

What are CubeSats?

1000kg 150kg 1kg

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Traditionally Bespoke

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Standardisation is Key

Collaborative,continuous, industry led

standardisationof interfaces

More launch opportunities

More Missions

Larger selection of off-the-shelf subsystems

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Growing Number of CubeSats

Info from www.amsat.org

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CubeSats are smaller than small

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Launch Systems

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CURRENT APPLICATIONS OF CUBESATS

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Life Sciences

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Theatre of Operations Comms

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NSF Earth Science Missions

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Do not limit your imagination

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CubeSat Cameras

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CubeSat Constellations

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Fire Monitoring

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CLYDE SPACE AND CUBESATS

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Company timeline

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Company Founded

First OTS product (CubeSat EPS)

First hi-rel variant product

Expanded to current facilities First flight heritage

(ITUpSAT1)

First website to purchase space OTS

Bespoke modular power systems

ESA / ISO Quality Processes

OTS product range expanded beyond power subsystem

First bespoke solar panel sales

April 22, 2023 © Clyde Space Ltd 2010

Clyde Space today• 1.5MGBP (2009/10 forecast turnover)• 20 employees

– 14 engineers– 3 production technicians

• Growing at 100% PA.• >100 OTS CubeSat EPS sold to in 3 years• Ongoing ESA / NASA / major industry projects• Quality assurance processes fully implemented

– ESA ECSS qualified operators and inspectors– ISO9001:2008 accreditation

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CubeSat Power Systems

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CubeSat Solar Panels

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Lithium Polymer Batteries

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Attitude control

• Control moment gyro drive electronics

• Magnetorquers embedded in solar arrays

• Telemetry & switching• In development

– Micro-interial wheels– Attitude & rate Sensors– Sun sensors

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Orbit control - mPPT

Soon we can;• Perform Orbit Trim

Manoeuvres• Gain PRECISE ADCS • Change Orbital Plane and

Altitude (…a little)• ESA funded with MARS Space

and University of Southampton

• Targets:• 12µNs per Joule• 60µNs Impulse Bit

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From nanopower…

Telemetry & switching

Solar arrays

Mod

ular

pla

tform

con

cept

One-stop shop

[PU

MPK

IN]

[ISIS]

[IMI]

…to nanoplatforms

Batteries

Electric power system

Structures

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Payload Interface and ManagementCommunications

Attitude determination and control

Electric power system

Batteries

CubeSat Platform

Electric Propulsion

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Concurrent Modular Design• Mission system analysis to support nanospacecraft products• New user entry into space, removing barriers to participation

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CONCLUSION

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Conclusion

• CubeSats offer an exciting opportunity to put new technologies into space.

• The size and cost of CubeSats enable applications too costly to be implemented previously.

• CubeSat constellations are likely to be the killer APP for CubeSats.

April 22, 2023 © Clyde Space Ltd 2010

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