Mission testing for improved reliability of CubeSats

M Doyle, R Dunwoody, G Finneran… - … on Space Optics …, 2021 - spiedigitallibrary.org
M Doyle, R Dunwoody, G Finneran, D Murphy, J Reilly, J Thompson, S Walsh, J Erkal
International Conference on Space Optics—ICSO 2020, 2021spiedigitallibrary.org
CubeSats are a small satellite technology that first emerged in the space sector in the early
2000s. Their low-cost, fast-delivery design has made space more accessible, leading to a
significant increase in the number of satellites launched per year as well as the number of
nations launching satellites. As an example, the Educational Irish Research Satellite,
EIRSAT-1, is a CubeSat being developed by a student-led team at University College
Dublin, aiming to launch Ireland's first satellite. Originally viewed as educational tools, the …
Abstract
CubeSats are a small satellite technology that first emerged in the space sector in the early 2000s. Their low-cost, fast-delivery design has made space more accessible, leading to a significant increase in the number of satellites launched per year as well as the number of nations launching satellites. As an example, the Educational Irish Research Satellite, EIRSAT-1, is a CubeSat being developed by a student-led team at University College Dublin, aiming to launch Ireland’s first satellite. Originally viewed as educational tools, the capabilities of CubeSats to satisfy a wide range of aims, from technology demonstration to Earth observation and scientific aims, is growing as these satellite platforms advance. However, following two decades of launches, an issue still facing their success as a disruptive technology is the high failure rate of CubeSats. This is a result of the CubeSat design philosophy where, in lieu of challenging resource demands, higher levels of risk are more acceptable compared to conventional space missions. In an effort to reduce these risks, this work presents an overview and highlights the benefits of a testing technique, known as Mission Testing. Mission Testing differs from other satellite testing in that flight representative conditions are simulated during the test. This aspect of the test mitigates risks not addressed elsewhere, such as risks related to the order and duration of operations, and also offers a number of unique benefits, such as operations training for the Mission Control Team. As part of this work, results of a survey disseminated to CubeSat teams are presented, where the aspects of Mission Testing considered most valuable and lessons learned in light of on-orbit operations are identified. How these results have helped shape the Mission Test plans for the EIRSAT-1 mission are also discussed and overview of the test plans are presented. In addition to the benefits for EIRSAT-1, this study aims to provide a resource for CubeSat teams in general, wanting to improve mission reliability through comprehensive Mission Testing.
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