A Student-led 1U COTS CubeSat Mission

Abstract:

CubeSats are small satellite units that are used for both research and educational purposes. The main goal of this project is to design, assemble, integrate, and test the functionality of four CubeSat prototypes built with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts and household items. Four undergraduate students work remotely on this project due the COVID-19 Pandemic. This student-led CubeSat mission performs two scientific experiments and four technology demonstrations. CubeSat subsystem components, including science payloads are first assembled on a FlatSat to test system hardware and then integrated onto a FlightSat bus. Environmental tests are also performed on the four CubeSats. Specifically, the science instruments include a Particulate Matter (PM) sensor that measures and compares the density of particulate matter during COVID-19 lockdown, and an onboard magnetometer that measures and compares local magnetic field in the vicinity of students’ home. Technology demonstrations include onboard functionality of the navigation system and include a gyroscope, camera and reaction wheels. PM sensor’s preliminary results show that the density during COVID-19 lockdown in New York City is less than a comparable period during 2019. The local magnetic field is expected to remain relatively constant. These results along with four technology demonstration data will be presented. This project shows that a CubeSat can be built with only COTS components for < $400. Due its low cost and replicability, this project serves as a model for other undergraduate and high school students interested in CubeSat mission design and hardware development.