Session

Session I: A Look Back: Lessons Learned

Location

Utah State University, Logan, UT

Abstract

The ITASAT Project was initiated as an effort of the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA) and the National Institute of Space Research (INPE) to train human resources to the Aerospace sector due to the lack of experience of the students in practical projects in the aerospace segment in Brazil. In this effort students were challenged to design, build and operate a satellite in a hands-on project. Along the project years several changes happened on the satellite configuration, going through a 100 kg satellite to a 6U CubeSat and this last configuration was designed, assembled and tested. In December ITASAT was launched and since its launch has been tracked and operated by the ground operation team. In this paper we will discuss the lessons learned during the project, since the decision to change the satellite size and re-thinking the scope of the project objectives, focusing on system engineering, Assembly Integration and Testing (AIT), Verification and Validation (V&V) and ground operations. The paper will present the challenges of the group of students in this hands-on project, the mistakes and hits along the project phases.

Share

COinS
 
Aug 3rd, 8:45 AM

The ITASAT – The Lessons Learned from the Mission Concept to the Operation

Utah State University, Logan, UT

The ITASAT Project was initiated as an effort of the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA) and the National Institute of Space Research (INPE) to train human resources to the Aerospace sector due to the lack of experience of the students in practical projects in the aerospace segment in Brazil. In this effort students were challenged to design, build and operate a satellite in a hands-on project. Along the project years several changes happened on the satellite configuration, going through a 100 kg satellite to a 6U CubeSat and this last configuration was designed, assembled and tested. In December ITASAT was launched and since its launch has been tracked and operated by the ground operation team. In this paper we will discuss the lessons learned during the project, since the decision to change the satellite size and re-thinking the scope of the project objectives, focusing on system engineering, Assembly Integration and Testing (AIT), Verification and Validation (V&V) and ground operations. The paper will present the challenges of the group of students in this hands-on project, the mistakes and hits along the project phases.