Space Systems Research Center (SSRC) Overviewdownloads.agi.com/u/images/gallery/events/IUC/General… · · 2015-10-29Space Systems Research Center (SSRC) Overview ... Cadets mounting

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Space Systems Research Center (SSRC)

Overview

Lt Col Todd Nathaniel

Department of Astronautics

Director, SSRC

Mr Gary Payton

Department of Astronautics

Schriever Chair


Space Systems Research Center

The Space Systems Research Center (SSRC) has a strong reputation

• Designed, built, tested, and flown five cadet-built, DoD-backed satellites

• Two successful flights using ESPA-compliant interface

• FalconSAT-6 is on track to meet Sep 2016 launch!

Funded by government sponsors & gifts

• Air Force Research Lab (AFRL-RQ, AFRL-RV) and AF Office of Scientific

Research (AFOSR) provide majority of funding

• Space Test Program (STP)—Integration and launch services

• Focused on cadet education while achieving real DoD objectives

We support National Science, Technology, Engineering, and

Mathematics (STEM) educational objectives

• Incentivizing and encouraging cadet selection of STEM degree Our graduates are educated, trained, and inspired

to fly, fight, and win in air, space, and cyberspace


82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96

USAFA Get Away Special

6 Experiments

STS-6 (Challenger)

April 1983

First-ever “GAS can”

USAFA FlexBeam I

Vibration Experiment

STS-61C

Columbia

Jan 1986

USAFA FlexBeam II

Vibration Experiment

STS-72

Endeavour

Jan 1996

USAFA High-Altitude Ballooon “Near-Space” Craft

May ’95: USAFASAT-B (Nitrogen attitude control)

Mar ‘96: Glacier (1st, USAFA S/C, cancelled)

Sep ‘96: Phoenix (Laser comm experiment)

May ‘97: Blue Moon (2nd, USAFA S/C, cancelled)

Pre-FalconSAT History


FalconLAUNCH History

1990-1991: First-ever successful

DoD hybrid rocket launch

• Polybutadiene fuel

• Gaseous oxygen oxidizer

1991-1993: Larger hybrid rocket

development

2002-2011: Solid fuel sounding

rocket program

• FL-7 set a world altitude record for

a university-built rocket

• Reached an altitude of 354,724 ft

at White Sands Missile Range,

NM (WSMR) in 2009


SmallSat Capstone Experience

Cadets serve as 10-month interns

within the Space Systems

Research Center

Not a traditional class

Cadet-led team builds a

FalconSAT with expert faculty

mentorship

Travel opportunities

Meets real-world DoD tech/demo

needs

One third of participants are

selected for grad school

“Learning Space by

Doing Space”

Cadets mounting FS-3

on ESPA ring, 2007

FS-2 integration

on Falcon 1, 2006

FS-5 Launch, 2010

FS-6 Design, 400 lbs, 24”x28”x38”

2016 launch


97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

FS-1

FS-2 FS-5

FalconSAT-1

(Minotaur-1)

FalconSAT-2

(Falcon-1)

FalconSAT-3

(Atlas-V)

FalconSAT-5

(Minotaur-4 )

FalconSAT-6 (Falcon Heavy)

FalconSAT-8

Future Mission

Orig STS

launch date

FalconSAT History

FalconGOLD

FS-3

FS-6

FS-8


FalconGOLD

First USAF Academy satellite

Joint effort with the University of

Colorado, Colorado Springs

First-ever detection and correlation of

GPS signals in space

Contained just a battery, GPS

receiver, and radio transmitter

Launched October 1997

• Altas-Centaur upper stage

• Cape Canaveral AFS

Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO)


FalconSAT-1

First free-flyer

All USAFA-built components

Hosted Department of Physics

space weather sensor

44.5 x 44.5 x 43.18 cm, 52 kg

Store and forward capability

Justified establishment of

USAFA Ground Station

Launched January 2000

• Minuteman II

• Kodiak, AK

Sun-synchronous 770 km orbit


FalconSAT-2

Hosted Department of Physics space

weather sensor

• Investigates low latitude ionospheric

plasma depletions & their effects on

radio waves, e.g. GPS signals

• Ranked #21 out of 34 by DoD SERB!

32 cm cube, 19.5 kg

Launched March 2006

• First SpaceX Falcon-1 Demonstration

• Kwajalein

• Destroyed on launch

Flight model returned to museum!


FalconSAT-3

USAFA/Physics Department

Space Weather Sensors

AFRL experiments

• Gravity Gradient Boom

• Shock Ring

• Micropropulsion Attitude Control

System (MPACS)

23.6 x 23.6 x 19.85 cm, 54.3 kg

Launched Mar 2007 Atlas V

• STP-1 flight from Cape Canaveral

• 560 km, 35.4 deg circular orbit

Still on orbit and operational

• 700+ Cadet Space Operations

Squadron cadets certified


FalconSAT-5

AFRL Payload

• Hall Effect ion propulsion/ source &

cold gas thruster

• Plasma plume characterization &

diagnostics

USAFA Physics Department Space

Weather Sensors

• iMESA

• WISPERS

Launched Nov 2010 on Minotaur IV

• Kodiak Launch Center, AK

• 650 km, 72 deg circular orbit

1.5 year mission, 600 contacts, 160

cadets involved!

Upgraded operations capability

STP S-26


FalconSAT-6 Payloads

Real DoD space program executing space physics experiments, maturing

space technology, and repeating FS-5 propulsion demonstration!

SPCS-2: Propulsion

System Busek

HIPE: Ionospheric

propagation

USAFA/DFEC

15” motorized

Lightband separation

system

M5/FCE: Solar array

tech maturation

LM-SSC/ASI

CME: Launch

Contamination NGAS

Four solar arrays


FalconSAT-6 Systems

Attitude

Determination and

Control System

(ADCS) Sun sensors, rate

sensors, torque rods,

reaction wheels

Command and

Data Handling

(C&DH) Flight processor

interfaces with

payloads and other

systems

Electrical Power

System (EPS) Solar arrays and

batteries supply power

to the satellite

Communications

(COMM) S-Band transceiver and

antennas to link with

ground

Structure and

Thermal Chassis and thermal

management

Payloads

Five onboard experiments


FalconSAT-6 Models

EPS Testbed (ETB)

• Test and debug electrical power interfaces

• Characterize power system

Avionics Testbed (ATB)

• Test and debug functional interfacing

• Component, system, and payload testing

Structural Engineering Model (SEM-2)

• Structural model for vibration testing

• FEM validation

Flight Model (FM)

• Functional and environmental testing

• Launch and operate FS-6 SEM-1

FS-6 ETB


USAFA Ground Station


Systems Engineering

Segment

System

Assembly

Sub Assembly

System

Sub System

Assembly

Sub Assembly

Components

Sys

Spec

Sub

Sys

Spec

Assy

Spec

Sub

Assy

Spec

Comp

Spec

Specifications, datasheets,

guides, manuals, instructions

Keystone

Document

Verification

and

Validation


Other Programs

Summer Space

• For rising sophomores, led by rising seniors

• Week-long program, offered six times

• Cadets build simple science experiments and

launch into “space” with a high-altitude balloon

• Exciting recovery and reporting at end of week

EyasSat

• 4.5 kg hands-on CubeSat-class educational tool

• Cadets build and fly satellite in the classroom

• Used by AFSPC’s Space 200 course

• Also used during Summer Seminar by aspiring

space enthusiasts considering a USAF career


For More Information Contact:

Lt Col Todd Nathaniel: 719-333-3315

Our graduates are educated, trained, and inspired

to fly, fight, and win in air, space, and cyberspace

Space Systems Research Center (SSRC) Overviewdownloads.agi.com/u/images/gallery/events/IUC/General… · · 2015-10-29Space Systems Research Center (SSRC) Overview ... Cadets mounting

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