Akshay Kaundinya Grayson Hayes Jackson Lamb Anirudh Aggarwal
Description
CubeSats are small satellites composed of U’s. Each U of a CubeSat is approximately 100 x 100 x 113.5 mm and should weigh no more than 2 kg. CubeSats are predominantly used in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), b..
CubeSats are small satellites composed of U’s. Each U of a CubeSat is approximately 100 x 100 x 113.5 mm and should weigh no more than 2 kg. CubeSats are predominantly used in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), but they have been expanded to use in interplanetary missions. Since the design, manufacturing, and launch of CubeSats are much cheaper than larger satellites (around $80,000 dollars for a 1U CubeSat as opposed to millions of dollars for a traditional satellite), a CubeSat is an attainable goal for a student-led team. CubeSats in the early 2000’s were university or research applications, but starting in the 2010’s they were expanded into the commercial sector. SATLASS aims to deliver three CubeSats from an initial orbit of 408.773 km (The orbit of the International Space Station) to a maximum final orbit of 478.773 km. SATLASS uses cold gas thrusters to manuver within orbits. While most other deployers operate from ground to orbit, SATLASS starts and ends its mission at a parking station, where it refuels for the next mission.