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Tony Monteiro, AA2TX
VP, Engineering
AMSAT ForumDayton Hamvention 2011
AMSAT FOX
Background
• AMSAT-Echo (AO-51) is the most popular ham satellite
• Can be worked with simple equipment• 6 years old• Experiencing battery issues
Background (cont)
• Need succession plan for “easysat” mode• Launch costs have gone up dramatically• MicroSats like AO-51 were once the low-cost
path to orbit – not any more!
Opportunistic Launch Strategy
• Unique/special circumstances (AO-40)• Rideshare opportunities (RS-10/11)• ARISS Program (ARISSat-1)
– ISS orbit only
• CubeSat Launches
CubeSat
• Small satellite specification developed by Stanford and Cal-Poly universities
• Standard satellite dimensions allows for pooled launches via P-POD deployer
• “Mass production” lowers costs and increases launch opportunities
CubeSat Challenges• Very small size (1U)
– 10 cm cube (4” x 4” x 4”)
– 1/16 volume of AO-51
• Weight limit– 1.33 kg (3 lbs)
• Limited area for solar panels– 1/6 surface area of AO-51
• Limited space for antennas
Technical Approach
• Use “cell phone” electronics for small size and low power
• Use deployable solar panels to generate more power
• Use deployable antennas
Target Specifications• 600 – 800 km polar orbit• Mode U/V (70 cm up, 2m down)• FM Analog Transponder• Software Defined Transponder (SDX)• Science experiment
Special Design Features
• Can tolerate battery failure (open or short)– Will run on solar power only
• Can tolerate IHU processor failure– FM analog transponder only
System Diagram
I/QRx
FMRx Tx
BatterySolarCells
IHU
PSU
Experiment
Sensors
Mechanical Diagram
CubeSat Advantages
• Large and growing technical community– Boeing
• Positions AMSAT to work with universities– SUNY Next Gen projects
• Affordable and available launch opportunities– Regularly scheduled launches
– Relatively low-cost launches
– NASA Launch Initiative (subsidized or free)
University Research
• Stacked Cubes - 3U (12” x 12” x 4”)• Inflatable antennas• Active attitude control (including 3-axis)• Solar panel deployment schemes• Micro propulsion for on-orbit maneuvers
Status
• Project Started - Oct 2010• System Requirements Spec - Jan 2011• Concept Review – April 2011• SUNY student projects completed – May 2011• Model in AMSAT booth
