Paper Category: Research
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Passive Modular Ring-Truss Deployment of a Large-Area Membrane Aperture from a 1U CubeSat Volume
The increasing operational demands placed on CubeSat platforms have intensified the challenge of accommodating large deployable apertures within severely constrained launch volumes. This study investigates a compact deployable membrane payload capable of stowing entirely within a 1U CubeSat volume while achieving a substantially larger deployed area. The proposed system combines a modular collapsible ring-truss with…
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Design and Analysis of a Composite Satellite Bus for VLEO Applications
The increasing interest in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) missions has highlighted the need for lightweight satellite structures capable of withstanding demanding launch and operational environments. The main objective of this research focused on the development and structural validation, by finite element method (FEM) analysis, of a composite dominated microsatellite bus architecture suitable for VLEO…
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CROMIS – The case for an orbital H-alpha solar telescope
Monitoring of the Sun and space weather is becoming increasingly important, with applications ranging from satellite and astronaut safety to GNSS reliability and power grid operations. The chromosphere, a complex and dynamic layer of the Sun’s atmosphere best visible in the H-alpha spectral line, holds significant information for resolving open questions like coronal heating and…
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A 37.5 to 42.5 GHz Broadband SiGe Analog Linearizer RFIC for Q- Band Satellite Power Amplifier Linearization
This work presents a compact broadband analog linearizer RF integrated circuit (LRFIC) for Q band satellite payloads, designed in IHP 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology and covering 37.5–42.5 GHz. The proposed LRFIC realizes a split path predistortion architecture: a linear branch (LB) forwards and amplifies the carrier with minimal distortion using a tunable true time…
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Towards an open source, systems-level mission planning and analysis tool
The traditional systems engineering workflow requires synthesis of subsystem design information into technical budgets, performance simulations, and other metrics of mission credibility and value. Projects often use a diverse mixture of spreadsheet calculators and custom and commercial simulation software to draw mission-level conclusions from subsystem-level design information and requirements. This approach suffers from two inefficiencies.…
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Mitigation of Penalties on Clustered Hall Thrusters
Hall-effect thrusters are the most common form of applied Electric Propulsion technology and are being increasingly used in SmallSat missions. Clustering Hall-effect thrusters is a developing approach used to achieve higher thruster density and redundancy on small satellite platforms, but close-proximity operation between thrusters can introduce plume-plume interactions that degrade performance. This paper presents a…
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Optimizing Radiation Test Fluence Requirements via Inverse Reliability Analysis: A Mission-Specific Approach
Standard radiation hardness assurance methodologies typically rely on generic, static test fluences (10^7 ions/cm^2) to screen for Destructive Single Event Effects (DSEE). While robust, this “one-size-fits-all” approach often results in costly over-testing. This paper proposes a paradigm shift in test planning, moving from directive-based compliance to a logical, mission-specific derivation of requirements. We present an…
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Low SWaP Flight Board for High-Speed On-Board Data Handling, Processing and AI Inference
The continuous increase in payload data volume and mission autonomy requirements is driving the need for increasingly advanced on-board data handling and processing technologies in satellite systems. In particular, next-generation Earth observation, telecommunications, and distributed space architectures require high-performance processing capabilities to enable real-time data reduction, intelligent decision-making, and efficient use of downlink resources. Within…
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Satellite-as-a-Service: A Cybersecurity Perspective
Satellite-as-a-Service (SataaS) provides users with access to satellite capabilities without requiring ownership or direct operation of space assets. This paradigm enables the deployment and execution of applications in orbit without the need for custom hardware or dedicated missions, significantly lowering the entry barrier to space. In addition, SataaS supports rapid in-orbit experimentation, even for applications…
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Perovskite Solar Cells: In-Orbit Assessment
The increasing demand for long-duration and cost-efficient small satellite missions is driving the need for power technologies beyond conventional silicon photovoltaics. Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs) offer high specific power and mechanical flexibility. Notably, recent terrestrial studies on PSCs have demonstrated promising self-healing properties under controlled bias. However, their behaviour under space conditions remains largely unverified.…