lessons learned and best practices from the birds-5 project
- Paper number
IAC-23,D1,5,3,x77956
- Author
Mr. Yukihisa Otani, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Keenan Chatar, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Ramson Nyamukondiwa, LaSEINE, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Kudakwashe Jeje, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Victor Mukungunugwa, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Zimbabwe
- Coauthor
Mr. Takashi Oshiro, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Bonny OMARA, LaSEINE, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Uganda
- Coauthor
Mr. Timothy Kudzanayi Kuhamba, Laboratory of Spacecraft Environment Interaction Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. MUJUNI EDGAR, Kyushu Institue of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Kohei Kamitani, Kyushu Institue of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Fahd Moumni, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Shoma Fukudome, LaSEINE, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Derrick Tebusweke, Kyushu Institue of Technology, Uganda
- Coauthor
Dr. Takashi Yamauchi, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Dr. Teramoto Mariko, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Dr. Takefumi MITANI, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Kazushi Asamura, Japan
- Coauthor
Dr. Hirokazu Masui, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Dr. Iku Shinohara, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan
- Coauthor
Prof. MENGU CHO, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
- Year
2023
- Abstract
The BIRDS program started in 2015 at Kyushu Institute of Technology. In this program, young professionals from non-space-faring countries join the satellite projects as graduate course students and develop 1U CubeSat with Japanese students. In July 2020, the BIRDS-5 project, the fifth generation of the BIRDS program began with students from Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Japan. BIRDS-5 project built one 1U CubeSat each for Uganda and Zimbabwe and one 2U CubeSat for Japan in around 2 years. The BIRDS-5 project applied the Lessons Learned from BIRDS-1, -2, -3, and -4 and improved technology and management points to reduce the development time and cost and avoid making the same mistakes as previous projects. The three satellites were released from the International Space Station (ISS) in December 2022. However, no signals have been received from all the three satellites since their deployment. The BIRDS-5 team started to perform Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) for possible causes. Extensive tests were performed using the backup satellite to replicate the phenomena in orbit. Tests were repeated to deny any unnoticed issues during the satellite development. This paper describes the improvements that were made by BIRDS-5 project based on the heritage from the previous projects and summarizes the unpredicted issues that appeared in the BIRDS-5 project. In addition, the results of the failure investigation and suggestions to prevent future projects from making the same failures are also detailed. This study will be beneficial for all the small satellite developers as lessons learnt while developing satellites using commercial-off-the-shelf components in limited time.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-23,D1,5,3,x77956.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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