Tokyo Tech nano-satellite Cute-1.7 + APD II and its launch by Indian Rocket PSLV
- Paper number
IAC-07-B4.6.12
- Author
Mr. Kuniyuki Omagari, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Shinji Masumoto, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Thomas Iljic, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Ken Fujiwara, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mrs. Yasumi Konda, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Yohei Tanaka, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Masaki Maeno, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Tomio Yamanaka, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Taihei Ueno, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Hiroki Ashida, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Junichi Nishida, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Takuro Ikeda, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Prof. Saburo Matunaga, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Year
2007
- Abstract
“Cute-1.7 + APD II” is a nano-satellite now being developed at Tokyo Institute of Technology, Laboratory for Space Systems (LSS), which have developed and launched 2 nano-satellites called CubeSat, and it will be the third satellite in LSS. Our second CubeSat named “Cute-1.7 + APD” was launched in February 2006 and had worked well for more than 3 weeks. Cute-1.7 + APD II is a modified version of the satellite planned to finish all the missions which could not be finished in Cute-1.7 + APD. We have added several improvements and have conducted evaluation tests for the satellite in order to make the satellite completely work well in orbit. This presentation will explain these improvements and tests. The first topic is a radiation protection function. Cute-1.7 + APD, the former satellite, was seemed to be damaged by radiation or high energy particles, so the development team examined its protection circuit and found it defective. We improved the functionality and conducted radiation test using protons. The second is about the satellite structure and arrangement of components. In the former one, every electric circuit was placed separately, which caused huge and complex wiring and we often took much time to assemble or disassemble the satellite. In order to make it faster, reducing wires and improving circuit arrangement were conducted. The third is about satellite size and weight. Because of electric shortage the former one could not finish all the missions. To improve electric power generation and also in order to reduce structure density, which can make it faster to assemble, the satellite size was extended to be 1.5 times larger. However we had to reduce its weight. So we simplified the structure and conducted vibration tests to verify the stiffness even if the structure was simplified. The problem concerning magnetism was also serious. Cute-1.7 series have three magnetic coils to control its attitude. However we found that the antennas had been as much magnetized as we could not use magnetic torquers. We conducted magnetism test and had some improvements for both antennas and magnetic coils. Our radio transceiver is as customized Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) device. To communicate with the ground faster, we improved the performance to use GMSK modulation, but after launch we found that the customization had some error. We checked transceiver circuit and fixed them for the next satellite, Cute-1.7 + APD II. Also, a camera installed in the satellite was improved to take lager image. While the previous camera was processing image data by only MPU, the new camera circuit processes the data by MPU and a fast memory, which realized lager image acquisition. We conducted thermal test and vacuum test of the satellite. We confirmed the satellite work in the temperature from -10 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius and in vacuum of 0.001 Pascal. Cute-1.7 + APD II will be launched from India in 2007 autumn together with 5 university satellites by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), developed and operated by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
- Abstract document