Session
Weekend Poster Session 2
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
This paper presents a modular, general-purpose payload interface board for rapidly integrating experiment hardware with existing CubeSat control electronics. The PayLoad Support Board (PLSB) provides four configurable power and data interfaces based on the MikroBUS™ standard on a custom-printed circuit board conforming to the CubeSat 1U physical standards. The MikroBUS™ standard has over 1,400 compatible off-the-shelf sensors, interfaces, transceivers, displays, motor drivers, data storage devices, clocks, and other electronic modules, all with a standard socket configuration. Standard 3.3V and 5V power options are provided to each of the interface’s four sockets, and SPI, I2C, and UART communication lines are present for data transfer between the payloads and the STM32L552 or RP2040 microcontrollers, which provide processing for the payload data. Hardware prototypes have been assembled in both flight-ready and non-flight-ready configurations. The non-flight variation is targeted at high school and undergraduate students who can develop their engineering skills and inexpensively test a variety of payload concepts before committing to critical design for flight.
SSC23-WP2-20 Poster
Development of an Innovative Payload Interface Board for CubeSats
Utah State University, Logan, UT
This paper presents a modular, general-purpose payload interface board for rapidly integrating experiment hardware with existing CubeSat control electronics. The PayLoad Support Board (PLSB) provides four configurable power and data interfaces based on the MikroBUS™ standard on a custom-printed circuit board conforming to the CubeSat 1U physical standards. The MikroBUS™ standard has over 1,400 compatible off-the-shelf sensors, interfaces, transceivers, displays, motor drivers, data storage devices, clocks, and other electronic modules, all with a standard socket configuration. Standard 3.3V and 5V power options are provided to each of the interface’s four sockets, and SPI, I2C, and UART communication lines are present for data transfer between the payloads and the STM32L552 or RP2040 microcontrollers, which provide processing for the payload data. Hardware prototypes have been assembled in both flight-ready and non-flight-ready configurations. The non-flight variation is targeted at high school and undergraduate students who can develop their engineering skills and inexpensively test a variety of payload concepts before committing to critical design for flight.
