Design and environmental testing of imaging payload for a 6 U CubeSat at low Earth orbit: KITSUNE mission

Earth observation (EO) missions remain a challenging task for small satellite platforms due to their demanding requirements and space environment effects. In this study, the camera payload development mission are presented together with ground-based testing results 6U CubeSat called KITSUNE, operating at low orbit. The major challenge of is maintaining focus optical system despite thermal vacuum in orbit since capacity rapid temperature variation CubeSats hinder focus. First, developed an objective 5-m-class imaging mission, which has 31.4 MP CMOS sensor lens 300-mm focal length. Second, polyimide heaters multilayer insulators utilized order maintain during operations. Third, collimator used aid image capture tests. These images analyzed thoroughly using various measure operators. Diagonal Laplacian was found be most suitable operator consistency test results. also showed that heat generated by significantly affects and, ultimately, target defined −1.8°C. Finally, discussed, including vacuum, vibration, total ionization dose, effect exposure direct sunlight on sensor.