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Learn about AFOSR's University NanoSatellite Program, developing a "Space cadre" of students and small satellite technologies. Cycle information and university involvement provided.
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University NanoSatellite ProgramNSF Small Satellites /Space Weather Workshop17 May 2007Dr. R. Scott ErwinAcademic Affairs CoordinatorSpace Vehicles Directorate Distribution Authorized to U.S. Government agencies and their contractors. Refer other requests for this document to AFOSR/PI
Air Force Research Laboratory ROME Information Sensors KIRTLAND Space Vehicles Directed Energy EDWARDS HANSCOM Propulsion Space Vehicles Sensors WRIGHT-PATT MESA Headquarters Air Vehicles EGLIN HumanEffectiveness Materials & Mfg BROOKS Munitions Propulsion Sensors HumanEffectiveness TYNDALL Human Effectiveness Information Materials & Mfg ~6000 people, ~$1.5B annual budget, Commander @ WPAFB AFOSR
University NanoSatellite Program (UNP) MANDATE Develop a “Space cadre” of highly-trained US university students Teach “hands-on” systems engineering through design, AI&T, launch and on-orbit operation of student-built nanosatellites SECONDARY GOALS Develop militarily-relevant small satellite technologies Develop US university space research capabilities Background: Nanosat-2 launch on Delta 4 Heavy (2004)
University NanoSatellite ProgramCycle Process Flow AFOSR BAA Proposals Due Late CY Even Years Flight Competition Review (FCR) Late March/Early April Odd Years Winner! AFRL/AFOSR/AIAA Rank Proposals via BAA reqs Launch Opportunity Via AFRL/SMC (SERB) AFRL/VS Program Management Systems Eng S/C Eng Flight I&T Universities selected and notified January Odd Years ~2 years Kick off meeting Competition begins Early spring Odd Years Open to U.S. Universities only Former Student PM’s now Professor PI’s Grants awarded (After Kick Off Meeting) ~110K / school over 2 years Cycle Repeats every 2 Years – 2 Cycles running at any point in time
University NanoSatellite History UNP 3 Downselect UT-Austin (FASTRAC) January 2005 UNP 2 Launch Delta IV Heavy December 2004 NANOSAT-1/-2 Arizona State New Mexico State U Colorado-BoulderStanford Boston Carnegie-Mellon Utah State Virginia Tech Washington UNP 2 LV Integration May 2004 UNP 2 Delivery 3-Corner Sat January 2002 NANOSAT-3 UT Austin Washington U - St. Louis Michigan Tech Arizona State Montana State - Bozeman Penn State Taylor U U Colorado, Boulder U Hawaii at Manoa U Michigan Worcester Polytechnic New Mexico State Utah State NANOSAT-4 U Cincinnati U Minnesota U Central Florida Santa Clara U Cornell U Missouri - Rolla Texas A&M New Mexico State Washington U - St. Louis Utah State UT Austin UNP 3 Delivery Summer 2006? UNP 4 Downselect March 2007 NANOSAT-5 U Minnesota, Santa Clara U, Texas A&M, Michigan Tech, Washington U - St. Louis, Utah State U, Colorado U, Montana State, UT Austin, Penn State, Boston U
University & Student Involvement 25 universities and >2500 students since 1999
Three Corner Sat (University NanoSat 1/2) Delta-IV Heavy Liftoff Nanosat-2 aloft Demosat on Delta IV Heavy Project Objective • Provide flight demonstration capability to two AFRL SBIR-developed low shock release devices • Study ionospheric disturbances • Measure upper atmosphere cloud formation • Simulate formation flying capability Technical Innovation / Approach • Three nearly identical independent satellites built by three separate universities • Each university plus AFRL launcher combined to form Nanosat-2 Impacts / Benefits • Education legacy of the Future Aerospace Workforce • Advertisement of AFRL for recruitment • Dec 2004 – Nanosat-2 Three Corner Satellite (3CS) Launched on the first Delta IV Heavy Demo Mission
(Formation Autonomous Satellite with Thrust, Relnav & Crosslink) OBJECTIVE: Primary: Low-cost, small, precise GPS rel-nav metrology Secondary: Demo motorized Lightband separation system & Micro-Discharge Plasma Thruster DESCRIPTION One satellite maintains orbit altitude, the other is a drifting “control” Verified by GPS telemetry, potentially by ground-based tracking FASTRAC (University NanoSat 3) http://fastrac.ae.utexas.edu/
CUSat (University NanoSat-4) http://cusat.cornell.edu/ OBJECTIVE • Demonstrate and verify on orbit Carrier-phase Differential GPS for relative navigation • Demonstrate an end-to-end autonomous on orbit visual inspection system. DESCRIPTION • Centimeter-level accurate Carrier-phase Differential GPS • Cameras to gather target-satellite imagery • Image-processing techniques to verify the CDGPS relative distance and orientation estimates Generation of a 3D model of the target satellite for the user.
NanoSat-5 • Competition in progress • Eleven schools participating • Missions varied from ionospheric observations, to autonomous separation and GPS navigation, to remote sensing using GPS signals. • Preliminary Design Review (PDR) will occur in August 2007 at the USU SmallSat Conference.
AFRL Sponsored Activities • Hands-on Standard Sat-Fab Practices • Aerospace Engineering Facility (AEF) @ KAFB • Includes clean room procedures, elec/mech fab • All Universities participate (~50 Students on-site) • Formal Review Process • SCR (System Concept) (t = 0) • Internal AFRL/NASA review (telecon) • PDR (6 months @ SmallSat, Logan, UT) • ~20 Industry/Government reviewers • CDR (~1 year @ each university campus) • AFRL + selected others (industry) experts • Proto-Qualification Review (1.5 years, @ SmallSat) • Format as PDR w/ fully-built EDU • FCR (Flight Competition) (2 years, Location varies) • Formal Panel of Judges and Criteria w/ downselect NS-4 PDR, Logan, UT, August 2005
SHOT – Student Hands-On Training Workshop High Altitude Balloon Payload Workshop Colorado Space Grant University of Colorado Boulder, CO First Year: Standard Kit Payloads Second Year: Nanosatellite Subcomponent Payloads (e.g. sensor, comm box, etc)
Summary • Program Success • Strong, persistent University participation • Strong support from AF and AIAA • NanoSat-1/2 launched • NanoSat-3 delivered and in-storage • Upcoming Events • Working manifest for NanoSat-3 (UT-A) w/ SMC SDTW • NanoSat-4 (Cornell) slated for delivery Fall 2007 • NanoSat-5 PDR August 2007, FCR ~Spring 2009 Questions?