NASA-Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley

FifthAnnualCubeSatDevelopersWorkshop 11April,2008
John W. Hines Chief Technologist, Small Spacecraft Division NASA-Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000 650-604-5538; john.w.hines@nasa.gov

SmallSpacecraftDivision

[VENTURE CLASS, < $100M]

Develop spacecraft and related systems to make access to space routine

Common, reusable architectures Place emphasis on payloads and science missions

Secure and provide methods to access space reliably, frequently Reduce overall mission costs
Small space systems Secondary payloads

Goal: Maintain or increase scientific and exploration return while reducing life cycle costs

NASAsMissions
Exploration Localspace environment ReturntotheMoon MannedpresenceonMars(future) SpaceBiology/HumanHealth Science Understandthenatureofthesolar systemanduniverse NearEarthObjects(NEO) Lunarsciences Astrobiology EarthScience/Environmental Monitoring/EnergyMgmt

RolesofVerySmallSpacecraft
ScienceandExplorationMissions
SpaceBiology SpaceSciences Astrobiology SpacePhysics LunarSciences Propulsion Communications Massreduction MEMSandsmaller Autonomousoperations Formationflying/constellations Novelspacearchitectures tethers Evolvable,reconfigurablesatellites
CalTech

TechnologyDemonstrations
Payloadpackagesonlarger spacecraft
FlightheritagefromCubesat missions UseCubesatderivedtechnologies tosupportotherspacecraft missions
LunarOrbiters LunarLanders

LANL

AerospaceCorp

SmallSpacecraftProjects
(active)

Micro/NanoSpacecraft

Genesat,GeneBox,flownin2006 PharmaSat,3others(20089) AstroBiologySmallPayloads NanoSailD

Target3/yrbeginningin2008=>>6/yr(2009+)
LunarCraterObservationSensingSatellite(LCROSS in development) LowCostResponsiveSpacecraftCheapSat in development AdvancedNanoSpacecraft CommonBus(lunarlanderconceptshown);ModularArch.; MultipleEmbodiments

GeneSat-1 System/Mission Overview

Launched 16 Dec 2006 aboard USAF Minotaur-1
SecondaryPayloadwithTacsat2primary 45 orbitinclination;390kmaltitude Spacecraftmass7.1kg(4.1kg+3kgadapter) 45Wonorbitaveragepower 60daymissionduration;96hrBiologyexp. MeasuredGFPandOpticalDensitywE.coli AllMissionobjectivesfullyaccomplished
Warm-up

Warm-up
Valve open: feed E. coli 1st Growth

Valve open: feed E. coli

1st GFP Expression

Well 0

Well 1

Well 2

Well 3

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Well 1

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Genesat Performed Flawlessly: First Biological Nanosatellite Experiment

GeneBox: (Genesat Precursor)

Launched July 12, 2006
Bigelow Spacecraft Carries NASA 'GeneBox' for Tests in Orbit
PRESS RELEASE Date Released: Monday, July 17, 2006 Source: Ames Research Center

A NASA shoebox-size payload, called 'GeneBox,' is now orbiting Earth as a passenger inside Bigelow Corporation's one-third scale, inflatable Genesis I test spacecraft. On July 12, a Russian rocket lofted 'GeneBox' into Earth orbit within Bigelow Corporation's Genesis I test spacecraft. Attached to the large inflatable spacecraft's internal structure, GeneBox contains a miniature laboratory. In future flights, it will analyze how the near weightlessness of space affects genes in microscopic cells and other small life forms.

8volt DC/DC RS Conv 232/ 485 Conv

Pharmasat-1
Microsatellite - Free Flyer Project
Science goal: measure effects of antifungal agent on yeast clinically accepted, well-controlled test protocols Manifested to launch w/ USAF Tacsat-3 1 spacecraft Minotaur-1 launch vehicle, Wallops Flight facility; Jun08 Sat Free Flyer: ESMD-funded, 4 mission, 5 year effort develop nanosat-class autonomous space platforms & technologies validate key biological responses indicative of space environmental conditions, human medical risks

60wellBioFluidicscard

CardLaminateAssembly

CardAssemblyExplodedView

Fluidics/SampleHandlingBlockDiagram

Objectives Primary Establish ARC-MSFC collaborative relationship for small satellite initiatives

NanoSailDTechDemo MissionOverview

Spacecraft Bus (Ames Research Center) Solar Sail Spool (MSFC/Mantech-SRS) Boom Spool (MSFC/UAH)

Deploy solar sail leveraging directed work performed by MSFC in prior years under the SMD In-Space Propulsion Program Secondary/Opportunity Demo Orbital Debris Mitigation technology drag sail Ground Imaging to reduce spacecraft instrumentation Add to flight experience - ARC Bus light experience Relevance Planetary & Heliophysics Science missions Most smallsats orbiting above 450 km struggle to meet <25 year life MOD requirement
PnPSat (AFRL)

NanoSail-D
(Aluminum Closeout Panels Not Shown)

PPOD Deployer
(Cal-Poly)

Stowed Configuration

Falcon-1 Third Launch

(SpaceX)

GeneSat heritage Bus 10 m2 , 3 micron CP-1 Sail Ride Share Adapter (Space Access Technology) 2.2 m Tape Spring Booms UHF & S-Band comm Launch Date: June 10, 2008 Launch site: Omelek Island, RTS (Kwaj) Closeout Panels Magnetic Passive Orbit: 685 X 330 km, 9o inclination De-Orbit Period: Approximately 14 days Stabilization Deployed E/PO outreach

PreSat (ARC)

NanoSail-D PPOD

Configuration

O/OREOsSatelliteConcept
Organism/ORganic Exposure to Orbital Stresses
Top Side Solar Cells

Antenna

Exposureexperiments (organics,organisms)to spaceenvironmentwithonorbit monitoring/analysis(canvarysolar exposureamount,quality,andtiming) usinginternalUV(orother)Raman

Bottom Side Organic/Organism Array Turntables Irradiation Sensor

Spacecraftcanbenaturallytumbling,or mayprovidemicropointingcapabilities,if available. Missionlengthisdeterminedbyorganic exposuretimesdesired.

Spacecraft electronics

Payload pressure vessel

Antenna

AstrobiologyOOREOSConcept
(notional)

AdvancedNanosats
AdvancedNanoSatProgramGoals:
HighCapability Achieve80%capabilityoflarger spacecraft(100150kgclass) LowRecurringCosts ~$1Mforbus LeverageLatesttechnologyadvancements&existing AmesNanosatbus(GeneSat)forspacevalidationofkey subsystems EnableSpaceExploration Bigscienceinasmall, highlyfunctionalformfactor AdvancedNanosat2
DeltaV>700m/s 3axisStabilized,<10arcsecpointing UltralowpowerADACS AdvancedMultifunctionalMaterials <4kgbusmass 6Wpayloadpower 1kgpayloadcapability

AdvancedNanosat

AdvancedNanosatI
HighDataRateDownlink(Gb/day) 30arcsecpointingaccuracy HighperformanceAvionics Nanothrustervalidation <5kgbusmass MissionOpps

NASAAmesNanoSat InSpaceValidationof KeyTechnologies

MicroPropulsion

AdvancedNanosatX
Deltav>300m/s Subarcminpointingaccuracy UltralowpowercommercialCPUs Micro/Nanobasedattitudeposition& trackingsensors IntegratedGPSreceiver/antenna

NASAAmesNanoSat InSpaceValidationof KeyTechnologies

5.8GHzTransceiver

NanoACSThrusters HighCapacity,Lightweight Batteries

EnablesaVarietyofScienceMissions:
PrecisionFormationFlying RemoteImaging Earth/LunarScience AutonomousSatelliteMaintenance SpacePhysics&Astrophysics Exploration Lunar,NEOs,Comets

GPSReceiver NanoReaction Wheels SunSensor MiniStarTracker HighPerformance,Low PowerComputing

UltralightweightIMU

69Months

12Months

1215Months

Month18

1824Months

NANOSATCAPABILITY

RolesofCubesats
Educationandtraining
Spacesystemsdevelopmentandtest SystemsEngineering Operations

CalPolySLO SantaClaraUniversity

SRI/SantaClara

MicroNanoSpacecraftCandidates

jwh090107

NanosatelliteRoadmap(notional)
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Missions/ScienceDisciplines
SpaceBiology Astrobiology SpaceSciences/SpacePhysics TechnologyDemo

Platforms
3UCubesat 6UCubesats/Microsats MicrosatelliteSorties MicrosatelliteConstellation

LaunchVehicles(Domestic) ( indicatesflown**ormanifested*)

MinotaurI**

Falcon1*

MinotaurIV

SuperStrypi

Taurus

AtlasV

DeltaIV

PPOD AdapterConcepts

Notional Concepts only

ARC NanoSatellite Missions Office