Questions tagged [cubesat]
Type of satellite in the shape of a cube 10 cm on each side. Popular with academics and amateurs with a focus on off-the-shelf components.
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How do cubesat owners first find out their cubesat's initial trajectory? How do they point antennas at it before official TLEs start to appear?
When cubesats are first deployed it can sometimes take several days before they start appearing in official TLE distributions, and even then if many were deployed it may take a lot more work to decide ...
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Did the MarCo cubesats photograph each other or the Centaur stage from which they were deployed?
The screenshot below is an artists rendering of two MarCo cubesats and a Centaur upper stage moving together in space. I'm wondering if either of the MarCos photographed the other or the upper stage ...
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Regulations for cubesats designed to survive reentry and be retrieved?
I'm currently thinking about the potential of manufacturing certain items (ZBLAN, Semiconductors, Organs, Drugs, etc.) in LEO and I want to know whether it would be possible/legal to design a cubesat ...
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Is there a widespread popular misconception of how expensive it is to launch a cubesat? [closed]
Sometimes one sees discussions about hypothetical CubeSats with impressive abilities that seem to be assume that CubeSats are cheaper to launch (not merely individually, but by mass) than larger ...
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What are the Basics of CubeSat Power Supplies and Systems?
I am going to go ahead and apologize for my ignorance surrounding this topic, as my background is Aerodynamics, and not Electrical Engineering. From what I understand, CubeSats typically generate ...
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How many sun sensors are required to find a cubesat's orientation
I have read how a sun sensor can help find the orientation of a spacecraft, but I wasn’t sure how many are required, e.g. if one is needed on each face of the Cubesat. (Any additional information is ...
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How many cubesat U's is CAPSTONE really?
Wikipedia's CAPSTONE(spacecraft); Spacecraft says:
The orbiter is a 12-unit CubeSat
but looking at the images in the new NASA video NASA 2021: Let's Go to the Moon I see artwork that shows Capstone ...
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Example of CubeSat Systems Architecture and Software Architecture
For a school project I'm required to research into the engineering methodology and process for a CubeSat. As such, I'm inquiring into if anyone has an example software and systems architecture for ...
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Chance of ceramic board surviving re-entry on 3U CubeSat?
We're building a 3U CubeSat and have concerns about a ceramic PCB used in one of our experiments. Since ceramics have such a high melting temperature, we're not sure if the heat transfer during re-...
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Docking cubesat in orbit - is it possible?
Would it be plausible to launch two or more cubsat's into orbit, and then have them dock together, allowing them to pack on more hardware and even fuel, broadening their capability? If it is possible, ...
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Small satellite launcher to LEO dedicated launch vehicle [duplicate]
well today i was thinking, why nobody do something like the SS-520 but comercial? a small rocket entry dedicated to launch a cubesat, that probably go to have a lot of adventages and probably is realy ...
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Closest distance at which cubesat (or comparable smallsat) has communicated with the Deep Space Network or any large 10+ meter dish? Cis-lunar ever?
Discussion below Will future deep space optical communications "ground stations" actually be in space, or on the ground? has got me wondering about the improbable situation where a giant ...
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How to get started with CubeSats
I am new both to CubeSats and to Stack Exchange.
I have recently started studying and planning on how to build a CubeSat, as cheaply as possible. I have read some blog posts and watched some videos, ...
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Land a cubesat on the moon with ion engine
Say I have a 3U cubesat with a BIT-3 ion thruster, an iodine tank and landing legs. Can it land on the Moon with just an ion thruster?
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S-Band transceiver schematics [closed]
I'm working on a cubesat, and I want to communicate in the S-Band, arround 2.4GHz. And I'm searching for schematics of a transceiver example with arround 35 dBm of output power. If any have a .pdf, ....
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Microwave drive for cubesats
Theory: how is this?
I was doing a lot of research about the EmDrive thruster, i find 50% papers says that it work and other 50% saying that the "thrust" is a product of the interaction with ...
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What are the most common practical design specifications for antenna in space?
I'm writing my thesis on antennas for small satellite applications (cubesats).
Apart from the electrical specifications related to the particular application there are also several other "...
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Pointing accuracy and relevant manoeuvers CUBESAT
How do you calculate or determine the pointng accuracy of your CUBESAT in sunlit-part and eclipse-part modes?
Also how do you determine the maximum roll/pitch/yaw angles and slew rate required in ...
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What is the largest proper cubesat?
The sizes of Cubesats are measured in "U" units of volume. Each U is nominally a cube of something like 10 to 12 cm on a side, depending on the specific deploying mechanism it's approved for....
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Is it possible to send a CubeSat to Saturn/Enceladus?
I was wondering if it is technologically possible to send a CubeSat/Nanosatellites or constellation of nanosatellites to explore the water vapor jets in the southern region of Enceladus in the Saturn ...
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Have there been any square 4U (2x2) cubesats?
How much did each MarCO 6U cubesat weigh? suggests that the density of a MarCO 6U cubesat might be as low as 0.75 g/cm^3 whereas I think they are usually about twice that.
That led me to speculate ...
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Essential sensors for cubesat ADCS
We are building a 3U satellite to orbit Earth and measure space debris.
Between gyroscope, GPS, IMU, magnetometer, Sun sensors and star tracker, which would be essential sensors for the ADCS?
Or ...
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How do phonesats stay cool?
To the question Can a smart phone function in space? this answer says
Multiple android based phone satellites have been launched into space. (At least six according to Wikipedia). I haven't looked ...
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Do deployments of multiple cubesats obey proposed guidelines such as 20 seconds or more between deployments at 5 m/s or faster?
This answer to What can be done in future mass-cubesat deploys to make them “less irksome” to orbital space debris experts? links to Space Traffic Safety: A New Self-Governance Approach for the ...
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Do a significant proportion of cubesats (or any at all) have articulated solar panels/sails which can be pointed at the Sun?
It appears that for early cubesats the solar panels were simply fixed flat to the sides of the spacecraft, and even deployable panels were not part of early cubesat designs.
Have a significant number ...
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Why would photon pressure be needed to keep ParkinsonSAT Spinning?
This answer to Can a satellite work like a radiometer? says (in part):
...the US Naval Academy cubesat ParkinsonSAT was designed with four faces asymmetrical, with solar panels offset to one side ...
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Ejection Velocity of a CubeSat on Mars? [closed]
I am trying to decide whether or not I would need to add propulsion systems onto my 3U cubesat if it is being deployed in the Mars atmosphere. From what I've found so far, cubesats are typically ...
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1answer
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Challenges in using linux based COTS for Cubesat mission payloads
Most of the questions related to using linux is cubesat/space missions is for the flight computer. I understand that a RTOS is preferred over a full blown linux for a flight computer. However I am ...
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1answer
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Orbit transfer trajectory options to the moon
I am working on a project for a lunar flyby using a CubeSat. I was wondering what kind of trajectory transfer options are present and which one would be best for a CubeSat? I'm aiming for a transfer ...
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Cubesat, smallsat, or probe 'auteurs' - do any exist?
Most cubesats, other smallsats, and small probes are designed, funded, and launched by small teams (often associated with education/research institutions) at the smallest.
By "auteur", I mean a ...
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X-Band range and data
In summary I am working on a network consisting of 8 cubesat 1U that will be at an orbit altitude of 850Km. The question is that I am working on communications, the idea is that this network of ...
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Could the Electron launch a cubesat to Mars
Could the Electron in combination with it's kickstage deliver any meaningful mass to Mars, ie; a 2kg cubesat or is it unable to reach the required velocities even with no payload. Rocketlab are ...
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How will NASA's TROPICS cubesats be inserted into their three orbital planes and proper phasings?
Rocket to launch 8 cubesat to LEO at an equidistant distance reminded me that I'd never asked this question. NASA's TROPICS 3U cubesat constellation hasn't been launched yet, so there's still time to ...
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Rocket to launch 8 cubesat to LEO at an equidistant distance
I am working on a project, which consists of the launch of 8 cubesat 1U to LEO (Low Earth Orbit) and I started working on the launch part, the idea of the project is to be as cheap as possible, the ...
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How do I calculate what antenna I need for my cubesat?
If I want to make a communication satellite, like MarCO, what formulas do I need to calculate the perfect antenna? Is there a difference between the X-Band and the classic UHF? If the cubesat is ...
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Calculations needed to full-design a rocket
Suppose I want to put a cubesat in Titan's orbit (saturn's moon). and I want to calculate what rocket power I need, how do I calculate it? Where do I begin? total mass of the probe or delta-v needed? ...
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Would a small electron microscope in a cubesat work well in space at 400 km?
There is now an electron microscope in space!
Suppose that once I win a lottery I can build a small, modest SEM column and put it in a 6U cubesat that opens one side to allow the electron optics to ...
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RCS or Reaction Wheel for a 30kg cubesat
I am working on the design of a cubesat, it weighs approximately 30 kg and I am doing the Navigation and Guide Control system.
I was wondering if I had some blueprint for some RCS or Reaction Wheels ...
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What calculations should I do to go from LEO to the moon with an ionic motor?
my question is, what calculations should I do to be able to go from LEO to the lunar orbit?
If this were done, two of these thrusters would be used
https://www.cubesatshop.com/product/ifm-nano-...
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Building cubesat prototype using Rasberry Pi
We are doing a project in my university which is based on simple communication or GPS cubesat satellite (with only specific task not of so many functionalities), and we will be making a protoype for ...
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Cubesat/Nanosat dispensers/deployers costs
I’ m looking for informations about dispensers/deployers equipement costs and associated launch costs, espacially for 12U configurations and over.
I’ve got price information on Tyvak 12U Deployer in a ...
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How many spacecraft deployed from the ISS have escaped Earth orbit? Are there plans for any in the near future?
After reading Why did the Ulysses probe reach Jupiter much faster than Galileo? and answers to How many Space Shuttle payloads ended up beyond Earth orbit? and also What's the largest rocket that was ...
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Have any satellites had lights visible from Earth besides FITSat-1?
Clearly not a duplicate! of Why does the International Space Station have a downward facing light?
This answer to How does the Starlink satellite shine? begins with
Starlink (and other satellites) ...
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Major topic headings for lunar CubeSat mission design planning?
I am working on a project to design a complete mission for a lunar CubeSat.
Assuming that the launch segment is already covered and I need to focus on the spacecraft design.
I wanted to know what ...
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1answer
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What's up with the lack of subminiature chemical rockets?
Not long ago, I was researching the scaling of converging-diverging de Laval nozzles to subminiature (1.5 mm throat diameter) dimensions for a non-rocket application, and later on studied the ...
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Why do we need dedicated launch vehicles for small satellites?
The Wikipedia webpage on Small-lift launch vehicle gives a huge list of dedicated launch vehicles with a maximum payload capacity of 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) for small satellites, which are either retired,...
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Are there any modern cubesats or smallsats that have relied only on magnetotorquers for attitude control?
This comment got me thinking...
Question: Are there any modern cubesats or smallsats that have relied only on magnetotorquers for attitude control, sans reaction wheels or thrusters?
Ideally an ...
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How do these cubesats' whip antennas work?
This answer has identified the three 1U cubesats shown in the question, and links to Engineers Rule's Maya-1: The Philippines’ First CubeSat along with the video Animation of MAYA-1, The Philippines' ...
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What cubesats are these, what flags are on them, and why? What's the background story?
This tweet includes the image below and says:
Cubesats deploying from ISS.
Question: What cubesats are these, what flags are on them, and why? What's the background story?
Cropped, magnified and ...
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SpaceX rideshare missions: how many smallsats fit?
SpaceX has just announced their new smallsat rideshare program. Is it known how many satellites can be launched at once? Any estimates?
