Session
Weekend Session 3: Science/Mission Payloads - Research & Academia I
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
We describe the design and performance of the magnetometer instrument for the CubeSat mission AERO-VISTA. AERO-VISTA requires in-situ vector magnetic measurements with magnetic precision and repeatability better than 100 nT at a minimum rate of 10 Hz. Our magnetometer system uses the three-axis Honeywell HMC1053 anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) sensor. As built, our instrument exhibits intrinsic magnetic noise better than 10 nTrms from 0.1 to 10 Hz, though self-interference effects degrade performance to about 50 nT to 200 nT uncertainty. The analog and mixed signal portion of each magnetometer occupies about 8 square centimeters of circuit board space and draws about 100 mW. We describe the selection of major components, detail the schematic design of the analog electronics, and derive a noise budget from datasheet component specifications. The theoretical noise budget matches experimental results to better than 20%. We also describe the digital electronics and software which operates an analog to digital converter interface and implements a sampling method that allows for improved separation of offset and magnetic field signal contributions. We show the spectral characteristics of the magnetic field noise floor including self-interference effects. Our magnetometer design can be used in whole or in part on other small satellites which plan to use similar AMR magnetic sensors.
Design and Performance of the AERO-VISTA Magnetometer
Utah State University, Logan, UT
We describe the design and performance of the magnetometer instrument for the CubeSat mission AERO-VISTA. AERO-VISTA requires in-situ vector magnetic measurements with magnetic precision and repeatability better than 100 nT at a minimum rate of 10 Hz. Our magnetometer system uses the three-axis Honeywell HMC1053 anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) sensor. As built, our instrument exhibits intrinsic magnetic noise better than 10 nTrms from 0.1 to 10 Hz, though self-interference effects degrade performance to about 50 nT to 200 nT uncertainty. The analog and mixed signal portion of each magnetometer occupies about 8 square centimeters of circuit board space and draws about 100 mW. We describe the selection of major components, detail the schematic design of the analog electronics, and derive a noise budget from datasheet component specifications. The theoretical noise budget matches experimental results to better than 20%. We also describe the digital electronics and software which operates an analog to digital converter interface and implements a sampling method that allows for improved separation of offset and magnetic field signal contributions. We show the spectral characteristics of the magnetic field noise floor including self-interference effects. Our magnetometer design can be used in whole or in part on other small satellites which plan to use similar AMR magnetic sensors.
