Abstract
Up until the year 2000, only a few active picosatellites had been put into orbit. For the first 40 years of the Space Age, it was difficult to integrate high levels of functionality into the picosatellite 0.1 to 1-kg mass range. Fortunately, continuing advancements in micro/nanoelectronics and microelectromechanical systems has now enabled many nanosatellite and microsatellite capabilities to be implemented in picosatellites. Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) micro/nanoelectronics are currently mass-produced with lateral structures smaller than 65-nm, thus enabling creation of billion-transistor integrated circuits on cm-scale silicon dice. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are fabricated using similar processes and will benefit from further reductions in minimum feature size over time. Micro/nanoelectronics and micro/nanoelectromechanical systems will evolve over the next decade to provide ever-higher levels of functional density per unit area. Small spacecraft, particularly picosatellites and CubeSats, require mm-to-cm scale sensors for attitude determination. Commercial CMOS technology provides mm-to-cm scale image sensors that can function as sun and star sensors while MEMS technology offers mm-to-cm scale magnetic and inertial sensors. Custom CMOS/MEMS technology enables mm-scale sun and horizon sensors suitable for picosatellites and even smaller spacecraft. Several examples of millimeter and centimeter-scale sun sensors are given.
Presentation Slides
Micro/Nanotechnology for Picosatellites
Up until the year 2000, only a few active picosatellites had been put into orbit. For the first 40 years of the Space Age, it was difficult to integrate high levels of functionality into the picosatellite 0.1 to 1-kg mass range. Fortunately, continuing advancements in micro/nanoelectronics and microelectromechanical systems has now enabled many nanosatellite and microsatellite capabilities to be implemented in picosatellites. Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) micro/nanoelectronics are currently mass-produced with lateral structures smaller than 65-nm, thus enabling creation of billion-transistor integrated circuits on cm-scale silicon dice. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are fabricated using similar processes and will benefit from further reductions in minimum feature size over time. Micro/nanoelectronics and micro/nanoelectromechanical systems will evolve over the next decade to provide ever-higher levels of functional density per unit area. Small spacecraft, particularly picosatellites and CubeSats, require mm-to-cm scale sensors for attitude determination. Commercial CMOS technology provides mm-to-cm scale image sensors that can function as sun and star sensors while MEMS technology offers mm-to-cm scale magnetic and inertial sensors. Custom CMOS/MEMS technology enables mm-scale sun and horizon sensors suitable for picosatellites and even smaller spacecraft. Several examples of millimeter and centimeter-scale sun sensors are given.
