QB50Chris Nieto

Onboard Space SystemsDepartment of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering

Luleå University of Technology

May 11, 2016

What is QB50?

• Network of (nearly) 50 CubeSats• Coordinated by Von Kármán Institute, Belgium• Total cost (11,8M€), EC• EC - FP7 Framework Programme (8M€)• 15 Participants:

– Stanford University (US)– Northwestern Polytechnic University (China)– Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics

(Russia)

What is a CubeSat?

• Miniaturized satellite• Dimensions: 10x10x10 cm3

• Mass: 1 kg• CalPoly and Stanford University• Low Cost (~100.000€), Tyvak• Commercial Off-t he-Shelf (COTS)• Secondary payloads (piggyback)

[1] Original source: Original uploader was טל ענבר at he.wikipedia - Transferred from he.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17934925.

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QB50 Objectives

• Viability of CubeSat constellations for First-class science.

• Sustained and affordable access to Space.• Lower Thermosphere research (200-380km).

– Ion-Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS)Density and temperature of O, O2, N2, NO

– Flux-Φ-Probe Experiment (FIPEX)Behavior of atomic oxygen

– multi-Needle Langmuir Probe (m-NLP)Electron density and electric potential

QB50 Objectives

• Serve as a platform for In-Orbit Demonstration– Aerothermodynamic shield (QARMAN)– Formation flying (DelFFi)– Inflatable rigidisable sail (InflateSail)

• Promote educational projects

Launches

• Dnepr Science Mission– 6 CubeSats– Sun-synchronous Quasi-polar Orbit– Q3 2016

• ISS Mission– 40 CubeSats– String of pearls constellation

• Dnepr In-orbit Demonstrator Mission– 2 CubeSats– Sun-synchronous Orbit (550km)

[2] Original Source: NASA - https://secure.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/12801808743/in/set-72157629601396498, Public Domain,

[3] Original Source: CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1820661

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QB50 History

• Project approved by EC on January 2012• Original scheduled launch 2014• 2 precursor missions

– QB50p1 and QB50p2– Test INMS and FIPEX– Launched on June 19th 2014 by a Dnepr

Qbee50-LTU-OC (SE01)

• Collaboration LTU - Open Cosmos• Pioneer in Sweden• Scientific mission: FIPEX• OC-OBC (Onboard Computer)

– Technology demonstrator• Deployed from the ISS• Launch previewed late 2016

Qbee50-LTU-OC (SE01)

• Operations at Nanosat Lab– Module Acquisitions– Module Tests– Assembly and Integration– Functional Tests– Qualification Tests– Packing and shipping– Ground Station Operations

Questions?