QB50 Project
in response to
FP7 Space 2010 call
“Facilitating access to
space for small scale
missions”
J. Muylaert, C. O. Asma, R. Reinhard
von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics
Rhode-Saint-Genèse (Brussels)
SEMWO 2011
November 16-18, 2011
Vilnius, Lithuania
1
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
QB50 - THE IDEA
• An international network of 50 double CubeSats for multi-point, in-situ, longduration measurements in the lower thermosphere and for re-entry research
• A network of 50 double CubeSats sequentially deployed (1 CubeSat every orbit)
• Initial altitude: 320 km (circular orbit, i=79°)
• Downlink using the Global Educational Network for Satellite Operations (GENSO)
2
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
QB50 – Studying Lower Thermosphere
A network of 50 CubeSats in the lower thermosphere compared to networks in higher orbits
has the following advantages:
• The lifetime of a CubeSat in the envisaged low-Earth orbit will only be three months, i.e.
much less than the 25 years stipulated by international requirements related to space debris
• A low-Earth orbit allows high data rates because of the short communication distances
involved
• In their low-Earth orbits, the CubeSats will be below the Earth’s radiation belts, which is
very important because CubeSats use low-cost Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components
• The residual atmosphere at these altitudes would help the CubeSats to scan lower
altitudes without onboard propulsion and also to achieve a stable attitude
• The orbit of the International Space Station (ISS) is usually maintained between 335
km (perigee) and 400 km (apogee). If a network of many CubeSats is launched into an orbit
that is above that of the ISS there is a danger of collision with the ISS when the orbits of the
CubeSats decay due to atmospheric drag. If the initial orbit of the CubeSats is below 330 km
there is no danger of collision.
On all other missions CubeSats are a secondary payload, on QB50 the CubeSats are the
primary payload.
3
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
QB50 - THE IDEA
On a Double CubeSat (10 x 10 x 20 cm3):
Science Unit:
Lower Thermosphere Measurements
ISIS 2U
Sensors to be selected by a Working Group
Standard sensors for all CubeSats
Functional Unit:
Power, CPU, Telecommunication
Optional Technology or Science Package
Universities are free to design the
functional unit
4
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
QB50 – CubeSat Community
5
2 Australia
7 Germany
1 Russia
3 Austria
2 Greece
1 Singapore
4 Belgium
1 Hungary
1 Slovakia
1 Brazil
1 India
2 South Korea
1 Czech Republic
1 Iran
1 Spain
3 Canada
2 Ireland
1 Sweden
1 Chile
2 Israel
1 Taiwan
8 China
2 Italy
2 Turkey
2 Denmark
1 Lithuania
4 United Kingdom
1 Estonia
1 Netherlands
8 USA
1 Ethiopia
1 Norway
1 Vietnam
1 Finland
5 Peru
81 Letters of Intent
3 France
1 Portugal
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
WORK BREAKDOWN – Tasks 1, 2, 3
Task 1
Management
Task 2
Mission Analysis
VKI
Project
management
VKI
Mission
Requirements
VKI
WG & AC
Meetings
ISIS
Deployment
Strategy
VKI
Workshops &
Dissemination
VKI
Orbital Dynamics
VKI
Europe, Middle
East, Afr CSs
SSC
ADCS & GPS
STANFORD
North & South
American CSs
EPFL
Mission
Control
Task 3
Launcher
Task 4
Science & I. O.
D.
See
separate
slide
See
separate
slide
Task 5
Operations
VKI
Ground Stations &
Comms
BIRA
Data Proc &
Archiving C.
NPU
Asian CSs
ASTRIUM
Quality
Assurance
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
6
WORK BREAKDOWN – Task 3
Task 3
Launcher
VKI/SRC
Launcher
Programmatics
VKI
Payload Bay
Programmatics
ASTRIUM
QA, PA
ISIS
Deployment System
Design
SRC
SHTIL 2.1 Launcher
and Operations
ISIS
M. A. I. T.
ISIS
Launcher Interface
ISIS
Launch campaign
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
7
WORK BREAKDOWN – Task 4
Task 4
Science & I. O. D.
VKI
Atmospheric
Science
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
VKI
In Orbit Technology
Demonstration
SSC
System Engineering
SSC
InflateSail
MSSL
Sensor selection
and procurement
VKI
Atmospheric ReEntry
VKI
Atmospheric Models
TU-DELFT
Formation Flight
IAP
Measurement
techniques
DLR
Gossamer SolarSail
Demonstration
8
Advisory Structure
9
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
Sensor Selection Working Group
Sensors reviewed:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Accelerometer
Energetic Particle Sensors
FIPEX (oxygen sensor)
GPS
Ion Mass Spectrometer
Langmuir Probe
Laser Reflector
Magnetometer
Neutral Mass Spectrometer
Spherical EUV and Plasma
Spectrometer (SEPS)
• Thermal Sensors (Incl. Bolometric
Oscillation Sensor)
• Wind Ion Neutral Composition Suite
(WINCS - Armada)
10
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
Information gathered for each sensor:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Science case
Description
Performance
Mass
Power
Data rate
Operations and Commanding
Special requirements
Heritage (TRL)
Cost (development and per
unit)
• Development schedule
www.QB50.eu
Sensor Selection Working Group
CubeSat Configuration
• Spacecraft resources preclude accommodating all sensors on all
CubeSats
• Present sensor budget need to be increased for a scientifically
compelling payload
• Minimum baseline would be:
– 10 x FIPEX+T+LR; 10 x NMS+T+LR;
10 x LP+T+LR;
10 x IMS+T+LR
• Proposed baseline would be:
– 20 x [FIPEX, NMS, Thermal, Laser Reflector]
– 20 x [Langmuir Probe, IMS, Thermal, Laser Reflector]
11
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
QB50 – Orbital Dynamics
To be determined:
• Initial orbital altitude to ensure minimum lifetime of 3 months
• Separation speed (present assumption in the range 1 to 5 m/s)
• Should the CubeSats be deployed in flight direction, anti-flight direction, upward,
downward, east or west direction?
• Deployment sequence (1 CubeSat per orbit or 1 CubeSat every 2 or 3 orbits?)
• Which atmospheric models should be used (present assumption several different models)
• Which trajectory simulation software should be used?
• Which drag coefficient should be used (probably a range of coefficients)
These questions will be addressed by the Orbital Dynamics Working Group
(ODWG)
12
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
Importance of Attitude Stability
13
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
Lifetime Prediction (h0 = 320 km)
Launch
14
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
Launch Vehicle
• The Shtil -1 was used to launch :
15
• On the Shtil-1, the payload is placed inside a special
container which is custom designed and mounted next to
the third stage engine nozzle.
• The Shtil-2.1 is an improved version of the Shtil-1 where
the payload is accommodated inside a fairing on top of
the third stage
• The Shtil-2.1 is fully developed and hardware has been
built and tested
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
Shtil-1
Shtil-2.1
– TUBSAT-N (8kg) and TUBSAT-N1(3kg) nanosatellites into
a 400x776 km orbit on 7 July 1998
– Kompass-2 satellite (77kg) into a 402x525km orbit on 26
May 2006
www.QB50.eu 15
QB50 – Launching & Deployment
16
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
QB50 – Launching & Deployment
Shtil - 2.1
17
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
QB50 – Launching & Deployment
QB50
2014
18
Precursor flight
2013
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
Shtil - 2.1
www.QB50.eu
Study of platforms and
deployers for CubeSats on SHTIL
CubSat containers
Launcher telemetry
Optional :Solar Sail protective capsule
19
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
SHTIL
www.QB50.eu
Accommodation on Shtil 2.1
(may not be to scale)
20
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu 20
QB50 – CubeSat Accommodation
Lower bay and
3rd stage engine
21
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
Shtil - 2.1
www.QB50.eu
In-Orbit Technology Demonstration
VKI’s Re-Entry
CubeSat
A modular
deployment
system for
double and triple
CubeSats
Gossamer-1
Solar Sail
demonstration
package
De-orbiting and debris
mitigation by
electrodynamic tether
Other In-Orbit Demos:
InflateSail
demonstration
mission
- End of life analysis, Debris
- Formation flight
- Micro-propulsion systems
- Micro-g experiment
22
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
Inflate-Sail
for testing a solar sail with inflatable booms
23
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
Gossamer-1 Project
Solar Sail Deployment Demonstration
• During the launch, the sail is stowed in a container
(45 x 45 x 40 cm3, 15 kg).
• It remains attached to the third stage (to the
deployment system) and uses the battery on board.
•The solar sail is deployed after all the CubeSats
•It brings down the Shtil 2.1 3rd stage in 15 days,
thereby demonstrating rapid de-orbiting
Solar sail attached to
3rd stage
sail and boom
compartment
24
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
VKI Re-EntSat – Concept
Atmospheric Re-Entry Flight Data
Flight data for Debris/Disintegration Tool
(RAMSES) Validation
Re-EntSat to survive until ~70 km altitude
•Light ablative material as thermal shield
•Temperature & Pressure measurements
on the thermal shield
•Skin friction measurements on the side
Temperature field and heat flux estimations
De-orbiting techniques using aerodynamic means
25
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
Formation Flying CubeSats
DelFFI Project: with triple CubeSats “Delta” and “Phi”
• Delft University of Technology
intends to provide two triple-unit
Cubesats, both being equipped
with a highly miniaturized
propulsion system in addition to the
standard science payload.
•This allows for a coordinated
formation flying of these two
satellites using baselines, which
can be realized, maintained and
adjusted during the mission based
on scientific and technological
needs.
• The position of the satellite will be determined by GPS. The inter-satellite communication will
be realized by ground stations
•Therefore, formation flight will be possible at any distance
26
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
Call for CubeSat Proposals
• The Call for Proposals will be issued on the QB50 web site on
1 December 2011
• Deadline for submission of proposals to VKI
15 January 2011
• Proposal evaluation and clarification period
15 Jan – 20 Feb 2012
• Page limit: 15 pages
- incl. figures, tables, references
- excl. cover page, Table of Contents
• Annexes for
- Cost section (detailed and realistic cost breakdown
- CubeSat management (organigramme, key personnel)
• Availability of a ground station is an advantage but not a necessary
condition for selection
27
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu
QB50 NEWSLETTER
• The QB50 Newsletter No.2 (mid September) will have articles on
- Status of the QB50 project
- Second QB50 Workshop
- 4th European CubeSat Symposium
- Call for CubeSat Proposals for QB50
- Sensor selection
- Ground station network
- Frequency allocation
- Deployment system
- Gossamer-1
- A few articles on special double and triple CubeSats on QB50 for science and
technology demonstration
If you wish to publish a short article (5-20 lines) in the QB50 Newsletter contact the Editor
Cem O. Asma, asma@vki.ac.be
also if you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to the Newsletter
28
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
FP7QB50
www.QB50.eu
Important Dates:
30 Oct 2011:
Deadline for the submission of abstracts
CUBESAT SYMPOSIUM
15 Nov 2011:
Notification of acceptance
www.vki.ac.be/CubeSatSymposium
15 Dec 2011:
Publication of the programme and the
abstracts
15 Jan 2012:
Deadline for online registration
30 Jan-1 Feb 2012: CubeSat Symposium
Registration fee: 100 €
(this includes 3 lunches and all coffee breaks)
29
von Karman Institute
for Fluid Dynamics
www.QB50.eu