{"id":22382,"date":"2020-08-02T12:37:30","date_gmt":"2020-08-02T16:37:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=22382"},"modified":"2020-08-02T12:37:30","modified_gmt":"2020-08-02T16:37:30","slug":"student-and-amateur-cubesat-news-roundup-aug-2-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=22382","title":{"rendered":"Student and amateur CubeSat news roundup – Aug.2.2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

A sampling of recent articles, press releases, etc. related to student and amateur CubeSat<\/a> \/ SmallSat projects and programs (find previous smallsat roundups here<\/a>):<\/p>\n

** The annual Smallsat Conference<\/a> hosted at Utah State University is on line this year<\/strong> due to the Covid-19 virus situation. Registration is free<\/a>. Though the event is nominally August 1-6, there are dozens of videos of workshop and technical session presentations already on line.<\/p>\n

Dr. Pat Patterson<\/a> of Utah State University talked about the Conference<\/a> for 2020 on The Space Show<\/a> on July 21, 2020 :<\/p>\nhttps:\/\/thespaceshow.com\/sites\/default\/files\/shows\/3544-BWB-2020-07-21.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

** Villanova University has a new student\u00a0 CubeSat Club<\/a><\/strong>. The group is starting out by running a locally developed CubeSat simulator, receiving signals from CubeSats in orbit, designing a test project for a high-altitude balloon flight, and more.<\/p>\n

The club\u2019s long-term goal involves a bigger leap: to design, build and launch an actual CubeSat\u2014a 10-by-10-by-10-centimeter, lightweight nanosatellite that can be launched from a rocket, or put into orbit by astronauts on the ISS. But with design, equipment, programming, testing, and launch, CubeSat development can take several years and cost up to $100,000.<\/em><\/p>\n

For now, club members are taking smaller steps towards their ultimate mission as they gain hands-on experience with satellite technology through a CubeSat simulator developed by faculty adviser\u00a0Alan Johnston, PhD<\/span>, associate teaching professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The low-cost simulator functions like a real CubeSat, with working solar panels and the capability to send telemetry to an antenna, making it an ideal learning tool.<\/em><\/p>\n

Monitoring its Lindenblad antenna will keep Villanova\u2019s CubeSat Club busy. First, they will design a payload to be launched into the stratosphere via a high-altitude balloon. If all goes well, the balloon\u2019s telemetry will be detectable from the roof of Tolentine as it sails above Villanova. Also on tap is working with a project called AmbaSat-1: to program, launch and track a credit card-sized \u201csprite\u201d satellite into low earth orbit.<\/em><\/p>\n

The CubeSat simulator involves both software and a hardware CubeSat bench emulator. Here is a description of the simulator: A Year with the AMSAT CubeSat Simulator: 12 Months in the Classroom and Lab – A. Johnston, P. Kilroy (pdf)<\/a>. More information on CubeSat Simulator Project Page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
CubeSat model simulators<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

** Student CubeSat project at the MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute<\/strong>. There are several CubeSat project videos<\/a> available online. Here is a brief overview of the project that involved designing an system for imaging and tracking ocean plastic debris:<\/p>\n