Session
Session I: A Look Back: Lessons Learned
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
Orbit control on-board a 1U CubeSat was not demonstrated in orbit yet and is the technical goal of the UWE-4 mission. For this purpose, the electric propulsion system NanoFEEP was developed by our partners from TU Dresden. Four thruster heads are integrated into the rails of the CubeSat structure. This paper will give an insight into the first activation of an electric propulsion system on-board a 1U CubeSat on 26th February 2019. On the way to orbit control, attitude control capabilities have to be demonstrated in order to direct the thrust vector as desired. The calibration of the attitude determination sensors and first in-orbit attitude control experiments using the magnetorquers are described. We are able to measure the created torque of a thruster using the attitude determination sensors and can thus compute the created thrust. Finally, some lessons learned of the satellite design and operations of the UWE-4 satellite are discussed.
Hybrid Attitude Control On-Board UWE-4 Using Magnetorquers and The Electric Propulsion System NanoFEEP
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Orbit control on-board a 1U CubeSat was not demonstrated in orbit yet and is the technical goal of the UWE-4 mission. For this purpose, the electric propulsion system NanoFEEP was developed by our partners from TU Dresden. Four thruster heads are integrated into the rails of the CubeSat structure. This paper will give an insight into the first activation of an electric propulsion system on-board a 1U CubeSat on 26th February 2019. On the way to orbit control, attitude control capabilities have to be demonstrated in order to direct the thrust vector as desired. The calibration of the attitude determination sensors and first in-orbit attitude control experiments using the magnetorquers are described. We are able to measure the created torque of a thruster using the attitude determination sensors and can thus compute the created thrust. Finally, some lessons learned of the satellite design and operations of the UWE-4 satellite are discussed.
