Effective Data Handling Architecture for Small Satellites

Modular Architecture for Satellites

Avionics for satellites is a market which is continuously growing in these years, especially thanks to the availability of low cost launch vectors. This cost reduction enabled many institutions (industries but also universities) to develop their own satellites. A first result of this process was the CubeSat concept: a really small satellite, built using low cost Commercial Off The Shelf compone...

Deployable Reflectors for Small Satellites

A key limitation for future Small Satellite communications and radar missions will be available antenna reflector aperture. Two types of reflectors are dominant for satellite RF systems today, rigid, single-piece reflectors and deployable mesh reflectors. Single-piece reflectors are limited to the aperture that fits inside a launch vehicle without packaging the reflective surface. Mesh reflecto...

Planning Handling Satellites in Close Formation

Hardware implementation of Configurable High dataRate Test Station for Data Handling System of Earth Observation Satellites

Earth observation satellites are used to observe the earth surfaces, sea surfaces, analysis of anthropogenic effects on earth, earth imaging, climatic monitoring, ocean currents etc. The observation instruments are installed on satellites for remote sensing purposes. Major imaging observing instruments includes Panchromatic CCD/TDI cameras, multispectral CCD/TDI cameras and SAR payloads. A Sate...

Right-sizing Small Satellites

Spacecraft standardization has been a topic of great debate within the space community. This paper intends to be a provocative thought piece asking one fundamental question: “is there a ‘right size’ for small satellites?” In order to answer this question, we propose three top-down design factors for the space systems engineering process: spacecraft utility, mission utility, and optimum cost. Sp...