Session
Weekday Session 3: Science/Mission Payloads
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
In recent years, the field of space exploration has witnessed a paradigm shift with the emergence of small satellites, particularly CubeSats, as cost-effective, time-efficient and versatile platforms for scientific missions. At the same time, heliophysical studies are becoming increasingly important for space weather purposes, as they shed light on the Sun's interaction with the Earth, the solar system and the interstellar medium. This work delves into the study of the Sun activities through two complementary CubeSat missions, focusing on how these similar and modular platforms will face the mission's technical challenges while enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of key solar studies.
The first mission is Sun cubE onE (SEE): a pioneering project whose primary objective is to study solar flares and their impact on space weather. Employing a compact 12U design, SEE carries a suite of instruments dedicated to capturing full-disk UV images of the Sun and analyzing its Gamma and X-rays emissions. The integration of automation in this mission is exemplified by the autonomous solar flare detection, enabling SEE to dynamically adjust its acquisition cadence based on the presence of energetic solar events. This autonomous capability not only optimizes data collection, but also minimizes the need for ground-based intervention, allowing SEE to operate more independently in the challenging space environment. The SEE mission is currently under development by a consortium of academic and industrial partners led by University of Rome Tor Vergata. Argotec is responsible for the development of the platform. The mission is part of the ALCOR program, funded and supported by the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
Similarly, the Miniature Coronagraph (MiniCOR) embarks on a solar research mission to study Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and their impact on space weather. The spacecraft's payload consists of a state-of-the-art deployable solar occulter and a compact coronagraph telescope, all in a 12U platform. The mission is funded by NASA H-FORT and led by Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). This mission is a prime candidate for sharing the same CubeSat platform and subsystems as SEE, where MiniCOR aims to emphasize the importance of automation in enhancing the overall performance. The payload could leverage the algorithms developed for the ArgoMoon and LICIACube missions to autonomously analyze and prioritize data, facilitating the quick identification of CME-related phenomena. This autonomous decision-making process would significantly reduce the latency in data transmission, ensuring timely delivery of critical information to Earth-based scientists.
These solar study CubeSat missions exemplify the transformative impact of incorporating automation into small satellite systems to streamline mission operations and elevate the scientific potential of these compact platforms. By addressing the challenges posed by limited resources and communication bandwidth, SEE and MiniCOR serve as valuable testbeds, paving the way for smarter, more efficient, and more effective small satellite systems that will enhance our understanding of the solar system's dynamic phenomena.
SEE and MiniCOR: Transforming Solar Science Through Modular Small Satellite Technology
Utah State University, Logan, UT
In recent years, the field of space exploration has witnessed a paradigm shift with the emergence of small satellites, particularly CubeSats, as cost-effective, time-efficient and versatile platforms for scientific missions. At the same time, heliophysical studies are becoming increasingly important for space weather purposes, as they shed light on the Sun's interaction with the Earth, the solar system and the interstellar medium. This work delves into the study of the Sun activities through two complementary CubeSat missions, focusing on how these similar and modular platforms will face the mission's technical challenges while enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of key solar studies.
The first mission is Sun cubE onE (SEE): a pioneering project whose primary objective is to study solar flares and their impact on space weather. Employing a compact 12U design, SEE carries a suite of instruments dedicated to capturing full-disk UV images of the Sun and analyzing its Gamma and X-rays emissions. The integration of automation in this mission is exemplified by the autonomous solar flare detection, enabling SEE to dynamically adjust its acquisition cadence based on the presence of energetic solar events. This autonomous capability not only optimizes data collection, but also minimizes the need for ground-based intervention, allowing SEE to operate more independently in the challenging space environment. The SEE mission is currently under development by a consortium of academic and industrial partners led by University of Rome Tor Vergata. Argotec is responsible for the development of the platform. The mission is part of the ALCOR program, funded and supported by the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
Similarly, the Miniature Coronagraph (MiniCOR) embarks on a solar research mission to study Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and their impact on space weather. The spacecraft's payload consists of a state-of-the-art deployable solar occulter and a compact coronagraph telescope, all in a 12U platform. The mission is funded by NASA H-FORT and led by Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). This mission is a prime candidate for sharing the same CubeSat platform and subsystems as SEE, where MiniCOR aims to emphasize the importance of automation in enhancing the overall performance. The payload could leverage the algorithms developed for the ArgoMoon and LICIACube missions to autonomously analyze and prioritize data, facilitating the quick identification of CME-related phenomena. This autonomous decision-making process would significantly reduce the latency in data transmission, ensuring timely delivery of critical information to Earth-based scientists.
These solar study CubeSat missions exemplify the transformative impact of incorporating automation into small satellite systems to streamline mission operations and elevate the scientific potential of these compact platforms. By addressing the challenges posed by limited resources and communication bandwidth, SEE and MiniCOR serve as valuable testbeds, paving the way for smarter, more efficient, and more effective small satellite systems that will enhance our understanding of the solar system's dynamic phenomena.
