Session

Technical Session IX: Advanced Technologies II

Abstract

A CubeSat mission is proposed to demonstrate in orbit performance of the Differential Optical Shadow Sensor (DOSS), a high precision, compact, low-cost position sensor. The DOSS is used as displacement sensor in the Modular Gravitational Reference Sensor (MGRS). GRS technology enables advances in Earth science and precision distributed Earth-observing sensors, as well as space science, precise orbit determination and maintenance, and precision spacecraft formation flying. To reduce the overall mission risk for a proposed drag-free small satellite mission built around the MGRS, the DOSS is tested in a 2U CubeSat. The main mission objective is to raise the Technology Readiness Level for the sensor. The performance goal is a sensitivity of 1 nm at 1 mHz. This is over one order of magnitude improvement over the current setup which is largely limited by environmental noise. In order to achieve the low frequency stability, lock-in detection is used. The real-time signal processing required for drag-free control is demonstrated on a digital signal processor (DSP). This paper gives a system level overview of the proposed mission.

SSC12-IX-6_presentation.pdf (799 kB)
Presentation Slides

Share

COinS
 
Aug 15th, 4:45 PM

Differential Optical Shadow Sensor CubeSat Mission

A CubeSat mission is proposed to demonstrate in orbit performance of the Differential Optical Shadow Sensor (DOSS), a high precision, compact, low-cost position sensor. The DOSS is used as displacement sensor in the Modular Gravitational Reference Sensor (MGRS). GRS technology enables advances in Earth science and precision distributed Earth-observing sensors, as well as space science, precise orbit determination and maintenance, and precision spacecraft formation flying. To reduce the overall mission risk for a proposed drag-free small satellite mission built around the MGRS, the DOSS is tested in a 2U CubeSat. The main mission objective is to raise the Technology Readiness Level for the sensor. The performance goal is a sensitivity of 1 nm at 1 mHz. This is over one order of magnitude improvement over the current setup which is largely limited by environmental noise. In order to achieve the low frequency stability, lock-in detection is used. The real-time signal processing required for drag-free control is demonstrated on a digital signal processor (DSP). This paper gives a system level overview of the proposed mission.