Design

The design of our satellite is a 2U CubeSat with body mounted solar panels. The layout of the modules within the satellite are described below:

The satellite is divided into three sections. The first is the Payload Bay, which houses both of our payloads. It has a volume of exactly 0.5U and is located at the top of the satellite stack. Both payloads inside of the payload bay are specifically custom designed and produced from scratch for our satellite. To read more about our payloads and their functioning click here.

The second section is the satellite bus, this would be the section that allows the payload to function, by maintaining the satellite and providing power, location and orientation to the payload. Finally, the third section of the satellite houses the antennae.

Within the satellite bus, there are a number of modules, firstly the on board computer, this is the brain of the satellite. As the name indicates, it is a computer inside of the satellite that, using the software provided by our software team, operates the satellite autonomously. The on-board computer and the daughter board, where other functionalities of the satellite reside come from Hyperion technologies.

The ADCS or Attitude Determination and Control System is the module within the satellite that determines the location and orientation of the satellite, and adjusts them accordingly. It is also what prevents the satellite from spinning uncontrollably, and losing control of the satellite. Additionally, it allows the payloads to be angled correctly for a visual from space, either towards the Earth or in another orientation. The ADCS module comes from Hyperion Technologies

The Electrical Power System, as the name would suggest, is the module within the satellite that receives, holds and distributes the power within the satellite. It receives said power from the solar panels, holds it inside an internal battery and subsequently provides all the other modules with the power necessary. The EPS system is provided to us by ISISpace.

Finally, the radio communication system, consisting of the transceiver system and antennae are in place in order to have the ability to communicate with entities on Earth. Both uplink and downlink are possible from our design, of course broadcasting uniformly, allowing everyone to receive the data from our payload. However, uplink will not be publicly available of course. This will be done from the satellite communication station at the top of the EWI building in Delft.