Kenyan Capacity Building in Satellite Technology

8/6/2019 Kenyan Capacity Building in Satellite Technology

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Kenyan Capacity Building in SatelliteTechnology: The Small Satellite

Approach with Emphasis on the CubeSat

Professor Paolo GaudenziDirector, Master in Satelliti e Piattaforme

Orbitanti, Department of Aerospace and

Astronautical Engineering, University of Rome

La Sapienza

[email protected]

Anthony J. Kiroe

Physics Department, Jomo Kenyatta University

of Agriculture and Technology

[email protected]

Prof. P. Gaudenzi and A. Kiroe

Kenyan Capacity Building in Satellite Technology: The Small Satellite Approach with Emphasis on the CubeSat


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Introduction

The small satellite approach for capacity building in satellite

technology is considered

The study can apply to any developing country wishing to

develop space capabilities

The outline:

Affiliation

The trend towards miniaturization of satellites The CubeSat program

Capacity building: The small satellite approach

Capacity building initiatives

ConclusionKenyan Capacity Building in Satellite Technology: The Small Satellite Approach with Emphasis on the CubeSat


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Affiliation



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Classification of artificial satellites

Classification by mass (deployed)

Small satellites

Pico satellites: The CubeSat program

The trend towards

miniaturization of satellites



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The trend towards

miniaturization of satellitesClassification of artificial satellites

Classification of artificial satellites - byfunction, type of orbit, cost, mass, etc

Classification by mass (deployed): most

important direct bearing on the launcher

versus cost tradeoff

Trend towards miniaturization of satellites

has mainly been caused by high launch costs



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The trend towards miniturization

of satellites (contd.)

Category Mass range (kg)

Large satellite > 1,000

Medium-sized satellite 500-1,000

Minisatellite 100-500

Microsatellite 10-100

Nanosatellite 1-10

Picosatellite 0.1-1

Femtosatellite (satellite-on-a-chip) < 0.1

Satellite classification by mass (deployed) criterion

Generally, the term small satellite is used to cover all spacecraft with in-

orbit masses of less than 500 kg

There isnt a universally accepted way of defining a small satellite



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Pico satellites: The CubeSat

program Pico satellites (mass below 1 kilogram) are

attracting special interest to the space

community Small size and low weight means that they can

be carried on the same launcher as secondary

payloads Their standardized shape makes them cheaper

to produce and launch in a much shorter time

compared to large satellitesKenyan Capacity Building in Satellite Technology: The Small Satellite Approach with Emphasis on the CubeSat


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The CubeSat program

CubeSat: a cubic pico satellite bus

Is as a result of an effort to meet an educational

need to have a satellite that could be developed

within one to two years, be very low in cost and be

very low in weight for reduced launch costsKenyan Capacity Building in Satellite Technology: The Small Satellite Approach with Emphasis on the CubeSat


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A CubeSats basic constraints:

Size and shape: 10x10x10cm cuboid 1U

Weight: < 1 kg Others as may be defined by the mission

requirements

CubeSat units may be combined to

produce larger mass and volume

systems

3U CubeSatsdemostrated

6U CubeSatsproposed

The CubeSat program



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1 kg mass limit

10x10x10 cm size limit

Hard anodized rails

Center of mass within 2 cm of geometric

center

Access ports located at same locations as

P-POD

Thermal expansion of the CubeSatsshould be similar to that of the P-POD

aluminum material (7075-T73)

CubeSat design tolerances are based on P-

POD tolerances and specifications

The CubeSat standard and the

P-POD



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Goals of the P-POD

Protect the primary payload

Protect the launch vehicle

Protect the CubeSats

Safely group multiple CubeSats for launch

Eject CubeSats for safe deployment

Increase Access to Space for CubeSats

Provide standard interface to launch vehicle

The CubeSat standard and the

P-POD


(The Poly-PicoSatellite Orbital Deployer)


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Capacity building:

The small satellite approach

The study can apply to any developing

country wishing to develop space capabilities

The outline:

A four stage strategic approach for

capacity building

A case for a CubeSat programme

Maintaining a CubeSat programme

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The four stage strategic approach

for capacity buildingStage 1

Purchasing a satellite

Mission: Simple and low cost

Based on a platform* of NSR COTS components

Aimed at creating interest and the first step towards

building the needed infrastructure and achieving skills onoperating a satellite in space

*Common vendors: SSTL, GomSpace, Pumpkin, Clyde Space, ISIS. Example: GomSpace -

platform NSR Non-Space Rated

COTS Commercial-Off-The-ShelfKenyan Capacity Building in Satellite Technology: The Small Satellite Approach with Emphasis on the CubeSat


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Stage 2

Involvement of a countrys own scientists and engineers in

the development of the satellite

Practical lessons on project planning, executing the

integration and testing phase and operating the satellite in

space

A country may choose to implement its own payload

The success of this stage may easily attract funding to

continue the program

Notable examples are the TiungSAT and NIGSAT satellite

programmes for Malaysia and Nigeria respectively


for capacity building (contd.)

Images credit: sstlKenyan Capacity Building in Satellite Technology: The Small Satellite Approach with Emphasis on the CubeSat


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for capacity building (contd.)Stage 3

Assumption: Knowledge base in satellite technology is well

established

Introduction of indigenous subsystems into an already existingplatform

Target 34 missions

Stage 4 Knowledge development and sharing stage

Notable example: South Africa - indigeniously developed

satellites SUNSAT-1 (February 1999) and SumbadilaSat

(September 2009)

SunSat-1

South Africas first microsatellite (Africas first)

Built by students in the Electronics Systems

Laboratory (ESL), University of Stellenbosch, SA

Produced about 100 masters and PhD students btn

year 1992 and 2001

Operated from Feb 1999 to Jan 2001

Resulted to the formation of SunSpace Co.

Source:

http://esl.ee.sun.ac.za/index.php/Main/SatelliteSystems

SumbadilaSat

S. As second microsatellite

Built by SunSpace



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A case for a CubeSat program

Justification

Existing CubeSat standard(s):

Flight proven platform interfaces

Wealth of ideas and approaches

Large, open development community

Low cost:

Small size and mass

Secondary payload accomodations

Level of technology is manageable

No previous experience is required



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Justication (contd.)

Failure is not catastrophic

Highly interdisciplinary: Communications

Electrical, mechanical, computer & systems

engineering

Program management

Expanding capabilities:

Ideal testbed for new technologies

Wide variety of mission architectures supportable




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(contd)Benefits

Cubbing brain drain an attractor for good and motivated

students

Encourages cooperation among different branches of science

and technology

Encourages cooperation between academia, government and

industry

Emergence of new departments, industry and markets

Confidence building

Improvement of engineering and scientific understanding

Exposure on a global scale



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Maintaining a CubeSat

programmeLimiting factors

Launch vehicle availability and cost University setting students and facilities

Satellite programme option and funding:

Government-funded

Independent programme

Inter-satellite development

Joint effortKenyan Capacity Building in Satellite Technology: The Small Satellite Approach with Emphasis on the CubeSat


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Capacity building initiatives Masters course in Satellites and Orbital Platforms:

Kenya (MoD), Italy (ASI) and Universit di Roma La

Sapienza Scientific, technical and managerial skills



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Partnerships and collaborations


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National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme

(NASSP):

UON, University of Cape Town

Research skills in astrophysics and space science Satellite Navigation Science and Technology for Africa (series

of workshops)

Boston college, ICTP

Skills on the use of GNSS for social and economic

development in Africa

International Heliophysical Year (IHY)

UN-sponsored program of global research

Main objective: to discover and study all the physical

processes coupling the Earth to the SunKenyan Capacity Building in Satellite Technology: The Small Satellite Approach with Emphasis on the CubeSat

C l i


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Conclusion

Crawl Walk Fly

CanSat

Compass 1

DelfiC3 Sunsat

Run

I li i b l 20 d li i C b S


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Inclination below 20 degrees eliminates most CubeSatdevelopers


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Alla Fine

Grazie

Kenyan Capacity Building in Satellite Technology

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