A CubeSat Platform for Monitoring Space Weather
- Paper ID
62485
- author
- company
BLUECUBE Aerospace
- country
United States
- year
2021
- abstract
NanoSats, more specifically CubeSats, are cost-effective small satellites. Once a CubeSat is launched into orbit, it only has so long to live. Over time a CubeSat will experience orbital decay. Orbital Decay occurs after a mission lifetime is over. The CubeSat then goes into a post-mission disposable orbit with a high chance that it will work. A 1U CubeSat has dimensions of 10cm3 with a maximum mass of 1.3 kilograms. The cause of orbital decay is atmospheric drag at an orbital altitude which is caused by collisions of gas molecules, radiation, and light into a satellite. This is the main cause of orbital decay for satellites in low earth orbit. It ends in the satellite slowing down and eventually burning up on reentry. The technology we have today to prevent CubeSats from orbital decay is effective although there are some downfalls. Some of these downfalls include problems deploying on some occasions and problems controlling the motion of the CubeSat. Another major problem with the solar sail is when the solar sail tries to utilize the sun’s emissions as propulsion while traveling towards the sun, it becomes a nuisance and slows the CubeSat down. The sun is constantly releasing low energy ions and electrons. If we utilize today’s technologies such as particle detectors, aerogel, an accelerometer, and altimeters, we can find measurements of these various photons. Particle detectors utilize silicone to create components that create electricity. These charged particles pass through the silicon and collide into the particle detector. They can be tracked and measured. There are other means of measuring the rate photons collide into an object. A similar alternative to silicon detectors is aerogel. Aerogel consists of about 90% air, it is extremely lightweight, and very cost-effective. The only difference is rather than have particles slow down before hitting the detector, the particles hit the aerogel and get data back. There is also an accelerometer which once collisions occur they will cause the CubeSat to deaccelerate. Once particles hit the CubeSat, it will begin to lose acceleration causing the altitude to decrease. Another alternative is the altimeter. Once the CubeSat begins to lose acceleration, the altitude will fall. That is why utilizing an altimeter is another solution. Utilizing basic technologies today such as particle detectors, aerogel, altimeters, and accelerometers can provide measurements of how specific particles behave. This data can provide more cost-effective methods of ways to stop or slow down orbits from decaying, causing companies to save money while not having to restore CubeSats.