TAI Testing Capabilities

Satellite Thermal ModelingModeling of MTUs CubeSat Auris and Industry Opportunities

Cole Gingras

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2OverviewIntroduction to CubeSatsMTUs Auris CubeSatMission OverviewOrbit SelectionSatellite OverviewSingle-Node Thermal ModelThermal Management TechniquesModel ProgressionExperimental ValidationOpportunities for TAI

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3What is a CubeSat?A miniaturized satellite for space researchComposed of multiples of 10x10x11.35cm cubic unitsIncreasingly popular with universities and private companies

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Space Situational Awareness The Geostationary RF DomainAs more spacecraft occupy the geostationary belt, the potential for electromagnetic interference and close physical proximity risk grows. How can operators protect their assets when optical image monitoring systems cant attribute radiated emissions to individual satellites?Michigan Techs Auris CubeSat

5Michigan Techs Auris CubeSatAuris is a pathfinder mission whose purpose is to demonstrate a low-cost platform capable of determining the interference potential of geostationary communications satellites. Using low-earth orbit based cubesat technology, Auris will spatially map the antenna beam pattern of a cooperative partners geostationary communications satellite and determine the satellites location.

Source: Analytical Graphics Inc. (AGI) ComSpOC

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Mission Objective #1The Auris System shall map the spatial distribution of radiated RF power from a cooperative geostationary communication satellites Ku-band transmission.Michigan Techs Auris CubeSat

Make note of the orbit passing over Earths poles6

7Polar Orbits

Generally used for Earth observationThese can be Sun-Synchronous orbitsConstant beta angleUnstable orbits compared to lower inclinations

Satellite in SSO always passes over the equator at the same solar local timeMeaning every time it passes the equator on the day side, the geographical location of the trace will be in the same local solar time as the previous trace location during the previous equatorial pass7

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Perturbative Torque due to Oblation

45Orbits inclined