Deploying 87 Satellites in One Launch: Design trades completed for the 2015 SHERPA flight hardware

Deploying 87 Satellites in One Launch: Design trades completed for the 2015 SHERPA flight hardware

Launch remains an obstacle for small satellites, which are often limited to small platforms, aft bulkheads, and accommodations for a single P-Pod. While launch vehicles have expanded the space available to small satellites, the largest number of satellites deployed in a single launch stands at thirty-seven. Spaceflight has secured a single launch opportunity in 2015 for no less than 87 small satellites. The ability to support so many satellites stems from tactical design decisions. This paper focuses on the design trades for the payload adapters developed for the 2015 SHERPA launch. Three unique payload adapters were designed to interface to the Moog ESPA Grande ring, the core of the SHERPA spacecraft. Each is an aluminum plate that interfaces to the 24” bolt-hole pattern on the five ESPA Grande ports. For these adapters, a balance was struck between designing to the unique payload in the flight configuration and developing a reusable system. The paper discusses the initial design trades regarding the adapter plate capabilities and how these trades have affected the plates’ utility on later SHERPA missions.