Miniaturized satellite

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Miniaturized satellites[citation needed] or small satellites are artificial satellites of low mass and size, usually under 500 kg (1,100 lb). While all such satellites can be referred to as small satellites, different classifications are used to categorize them based on mass (see below).

One reason for miniaturizing satellites is to reduce the cost: heavier satellites require larger rockets with greater thrust which also has greater cost to finance. In retrospect, smaller and lighter satellites require smaller and cheaper launch vehicles and can sometimes be launched in multiples. They can also be launched 'piggyback', using excess capacity on larger launch vehicles. Miniaturized satellites allow for cheaper designs as well as ease of mass production, although few satellites of any size other than 'communications constellations' where dozens of satellites are used to cover the globe, have been mass-produced in practice.

Besides the cost issue, the main rationale for the use of miniaturized satellites is the opportunity to enable missions that a larger satellite could not accomplish, such as:

  • Constellations for low data rate communications
  • Using formations to gather data from multiple points
  • In-orbit inspection of larger satellites.
  • University Related Research

Classification groups

3 microsatellites of Space Technology 5

Minisatellite

The term "minisatellite" usually refers to an artificial satellite with a "wet mass" (including fuel) between 100 and 500 kg (220 and 1,100 lb),[1][2] though these are usually simply called "small satellites". Minisatellites are usually simpler but use the same technologies as larger satellites.[citation needed]

Examples: Demeter, Essaim, Parasol, Picard, Microscope, Taranis, Elisa, Smese, SSOT, Smart-1, Spirale, Jason-1, Jason-2.

Microsatellite

Microsatellite or "microsat" is usually applied to the name of an artificial satellite with a wet mass between 10 and 100 kg (22 and 220 lb).[1][2] However, this is not an official convention and sometimes microsats can refer to satellites larger than that. Sometimes designs or proposed designs from some stats of these types have microsatellites working together or in a formation.[citation needed] The generic term "small satellite" or "smallsat" is also sometimes used.[3]

Except the mass,[clarification needed] the size of satellite is important too.

Examples: Astrid-1 and Astrid-2,[citation needed] as well as the set of satellites currently announced for LauncherOne (below).[3]

Microsatellite launch vehicle

In July 2012, Virgin Galactic announced LauncherOne, an orbital launch vehicle designed to launch "smallsat" payloads of 100 kilograms (220 lb) into low-Earth orbit, with launches projected to begin in 2016. Several commercial customers have already contracted for launches, including GeoOptics, Skybox Imaging, Spaceflight Services, and Planetary Resources. Both Surrey Satellite Technology and Sierra Nevada Space Systems are developing satellite buses "optimized to the design of LauncherOne."[3] Virgin Galactic has been working on the LauncherOne concept since late 2008.[4]

In December 2012, DARPA announced that the DARPA ALASA program would provide the microsat launch vehicle booster for another DARPA program that is intending to release a "constellation of 24 micro-satellites (~20 kilograms (44 lb) range) each with 1-meter imaging resolution."[5]

In April 2013, Garvey Spacecraft was awarded a USD$200,000 contract to evolve their Prospector 18 suborbital launch vehicle technology into an orbital nanosat launch vehicle capable of delivering a 10 kilograms (22 lb) payload into a 250 kilometres (160 mi) orbit to an even-more-capable clustered "20/450 Nano/Micro Satellite Launch Vehicle" (NMSLV) capable of delivering 20 kilograms (44 lb) payloads into 450 kilometres (280 mi) circular orbits.[6]

The Boeing Small Launch Vehicle is an air-launched three-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle concept aimed to launch small payloads of 100 pounds (45 kg) into low-Earth orbit. The program is proposed to drive down launch costs for U.S. military small satellites to as low as US$300,000 per launch ($7,000/kg) and, if the development program was funded, could be as of 2012 be operational by 2020.[7]

Nanosatellite

The term "nanosatellite" or "nanosat" is applied to an artificial satellite with a wet mass between 1 and 10 kg (2.2 and 22 lb).[1][2] Designs and proposed designs of these types may be launched individually, or they may have multiple nanosatellites working together or in formation, in which case, sometimes the term "satellite swarm" [8] or "fractionated spacecraft" may be applied. Some designs[which?] require a larger "mother" satellite for communication with ground controllers or for launching and docking with nanosatellites.

With continued advances in the miniaturization and capability increase of electronic technology and the use of satellite constellations, nanosatellites are increasingly capable of performing commercial missions that previously required microsatellites.[9] For example, a 6U CubeSat standard has been proposed to enable a constellation of 35 8 kg (18 lb) Earth-imaging satellites to replace a constellation of five 156 kg (340 lb) RapidEye Earth-imaging satellites, at the same mission cost, with significantly increased revisit time: every area of the globe can be imaged every 3.5 hours rather than the once per 24 hours with RapidEye constellation. More rapid revisit time is a significant improvement for nations doing disaster response, which was the purpose of the RapidEye constellation. Additionally, the nanosat option would allow more nations to own their own satellite for off-peak (non-disaster) imaging data collection.[9]

Nanosatellite launch vehicle

With the emergence of the technological advances of miniaturization and increased capital to support private spaceflight initiatives in the 2010s, several startups have been formed to pursue opportunities with developing a variety of small-payload Nanosatellite Launch Vehicle or NLV technologies.

NLVs proposed or under development include:

Picosatellite

Picosatellite or "picosat" (not to be confused with the PicoSAT series of microsatellites) is usually applied as the name of an artificial satellite with a wet mass between 0.1 and 1 kg (0.22 and 2.2 lb).[1][2] Again designs and proposed designs of these types usually have multiple picosatellites working together or in formation (sometimes the term "swarm" is applied). Some designs require a larger "mother" satellite for communication with ground controllers or for launching and docking with picosatellites. The CubeSat design, with approximately 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) mass, is an example of a large picosatellite (or minimum nanosat).[citation needed]

Picosatellites are emerging as a new alternative for Do It Yourself (DIY) kitbuilders. Picosatellites are currently commercially available across the full range of 0.1–1 kilogram (3.5–35 oz). Launch opportunities are now available for $12,000 to $18,000 for sub-1 kg picosat payloads that are approximately the size of a soda can.[15] as well as for the much smaller "Sprite" picosatellite whose builder, KickSat, plans to launch 250 of the "cracker-size satellites" into low-Earth orbit (LEO) on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle in late 2013.[16]

Femtosatellite

Femtosatellite or "femtosat" is usually applied as the name of an artificial satellite with a wet mass between 10 and 100 g (0.35 and 3.5 oz).[1][2] Like picosatellites, some designs require a larger "mother" satellite for communication with ground controllers. KickSat Sprites "chipsats" would be in this weight class.

Three prototype "chip satellites" were launched to the ISS on Space Shuttle Endeavor on its final mission in May 2011. They were attached to the ISS external platform Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE-8) for testing.[17]

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Technical challenges

Micro/nanosats usually require innovative propulsion, attitude control, communication and computation systems.

Larger satellites usually use monopropellants or bipropellant combustion rockets for propulsion and attitude control; these systems are complex and require a minimal amount of volume to surface area to dissipate heat. These systems are used on larger microsats, while other micro/nanosats have to use electric propulsion, compressed gas, vaporizable liquids such as butane or carbon dioxide or other innovative propulsion systems that are simple, cheap and scalable.

Microsats can use conventional radio systems in UHF, VHF, the S-band and X-band, although often miniaturized using more up-to-date technology as compared to larger satellites. Tiny satellites such as nanosats and small microsats may lack the power supply or mass for large conventional radio transponders, and various miniaturized or innovative communications systems have been proposed, such a laser receivers, antenna arrays and satellite to satellite communication networks. Few of these have been demonstrated in practice.

Electronics need to be rigorously tested and modified to be "space hardened" or resistant to the outer space environment (vacuum, microgravity, thermal extremes, and radiation exposure). Miniaturized satellites allow for the opportunity to test new hardware with reduced expense in testing. Furthermore, since the overall cost risk in the mission is much lower, more up-to-date but less space-proven technology can be incorporated into micro and nanosats than can be used in much larger, more expensive missions with less appetite for risk.

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Some manufacturers

Manufacturers of microsatellites include SpaceDev and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.

Manufacturers of nanosatellites include GomSpace, ISIS, Tethers Unlimited, NovaNano and UTIAS-SFL.[citation needed]

Manufacturers of molecularsatellites include Nanotsat Group.[citation needed]

SuitSat, a retired spacesuit fitted with some basic instrumentation and radio transmitting equipment and released into orbit in 2006, was an unconventional example of a low-cost microsatellite test platform.[citation needed]

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See also

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References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Small Is Beautiful: US Military Explores Use of Microsatellites". Defense Industry Daily. 2011-06-30. Retrieved 2012-12-12. 
  2. ^ a b c d e Tristancho, Joshua; Gutierrez, Jordi (2010). "Implementation of a femto-satellite and a mini-launcher". Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya: 3. Retrieved 2012-12-12. 
  3. ^ a b c "Virgin Galactic relaunches its smallsat launch business". NewSpace Journal. 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2012-07-11. 
  4. ^ EXCLUSIVE: Virgin Galactic unveils LauncherOne name!, Rob Coppinger, Flightglobal Hyperbola, December 9, 2008
  5. ^ Lindsey, Clark (2012-12-19). "DARPA developing microsat constellation orbited with air-launch system". NewSpace Watch. Retrieved 2012-12-22. 
  6. ^ a b Messier, Doug (2013-04-04). "Garvey Nanosat Launcher Selected for NASA SBIR Funding". Parabolic Arc. Retrieved 2013-04-05. 
  7. ^ Norris, Guy (2012-05-21). "Boeing Unveils Air-Launched Space-Access Concept". Aviation Week. Retrieved 2012-05-23. 
  8. ^ Verhoeven, C.J.M.; Bentum, M.J., Monna, G.L.E., Rotteveel, J., Guo, J. (April-May 2011). "On the origin of satellite swarms". Acta Astronautica 68 (7-8): 1392–1395. 
  9. ^ a b Tsitas, S. R.; Kingston, J. (February 2012). "6U CubeSat commercial applications". The Aeronautical Journal 116 (1176): 189–198. 
  10. ^ Amos, Jonathan (July 11, 2012). "Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic to launch small satellites". BBC News. Retrieved July 13, 2012. 
  11. ^ Messier, Doug (2012-07-02). "DARPA Awards 6 Small Airborne Launch Vehicle Contracts". Parabolic Arc. Retrieved 2012-11-29. 
  12. ^ Lindsey, Clark (2013-01-28). "North Star rocket family with hybrid propulsion". NewSpace Watch. Retrieved 2013-01-28. 
  13. ^ a b Messier, Doug (2012-11-19). "U.S. Army, NASA Working on Low-Cost Nanosat Launcher". Parbolic Arc. Retrieved 2013-01-28. 
  14. ^ http://www.phonesat.org/index.php
  15. ^ "DIY Satellite Platforms". KK Technium. Retrieved 2012-12-12. 
  16. ^ Garling, Caleb (2012-12-24). "Personal satellites that fly into space". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2012-12-26. 
  17. ^ Elizabeth Simpson (April 27, 2011 (Updated May 16, 2011)). "Chip satellites -- designed to blow in the solar wind -- depart on Endeavour's final launch". Cornell Chronicle. Retrieved 2012-12-06. 
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External links

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Last modified on 10 May 2013, at 03:26