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Lightsey,
E. Glenn
Lightsey,
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ItemRecovery of a Lost Satellite: The ARMADILLO Mission(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2022-08) McDonald, Dillan ; Lightsey, E. Glenn ; Peet, SterlingAfter 949 days in space, contact with the ARMADILLO CubeSat from the University of Texas at Austin has been established. After a complete reconstruction of the ground command software, the Space System Design Laboratory (SSDL) at Georgia Tech has commanded and received acknowledgements and data downlinks from ARMADILLO as well as commanded a hard reset. The Georgia Tech Ground Station Network (GT GSN) has leveraged its autonomous contact capability to maintain consistent contact with ARMADILLO, enabling it to remain online for longer than a week. Something ARMADILLO had previously never accomplished due to the ground contact condition for onboard reset never being satisfied. This has prompted the development of a late-life commissioning plan that currently indicates that ARMADILLO has the potential to accomplish its original science goals.
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ItemDevelopment of a COTS-Based Propulsion System Controller for NASA’s Lunar Flashlight CubeSat Mission(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-08) Cheek, Nathan ; Daniel, Nathan L. ; Lightsey, E. Glenn ; Peet, Sterling ; Smith, Celeste R. ; Cavender, Daniel P.The Lunar Flashlight mission is designed to send a 6U CubeSat into lunar orbit with the aim of finding water-ice deposits on the lunar south pole. The Glenn Lightsey Research Group (GLRG) within Georgia Tech’s Space Systems Design Laboratory (SSDL) is developing a low-cost propulsion system controller for this satellite using commercial-o↵-the-shelf (COTS) parts, with an emphasis on overcoming the harsh environment of lunar orbit through careful architecture and testing. This paper provides in-depth coverage of the LFPS controller development and testing processes, showing how an embedded system based on COTS parts can be designed for the intense environment of space. From the high-level requirements architecture to the selection of specific hardware components and software design choices, followed by rigorous environmental testing of the design, radiation and other environmental hardening can be achieved with high confidence.
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ItemLessons Learned from the GT-1 1U CubeSat Mission(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-08) Kolhof, Maximilian ; Rawson, William ; Yanakieva, Radina ; Loomis, Andrew ; Lightsey, E. Glenn ; Peet, SterlingWith more universities conducting low-cost small satellite development programs, resources for students starting off in satellite design are essential to avoid common pitfalls. Hardware integration and testing of the GT-1 CubeSat revealed both design flaws and strengths that led to a comprehensive list of lessons learned applicable to future CubeSat missions at the Georgia Institute of Technology Space Systems Design Laboratory (SSDL) and within the broader academic community. GT-1 was originally slated to be designed, built, and delivered in nine months with an orbital lifespan of around seven months. However, various schedule delays resulted in the mission spanning over two years. This paper provides a resource to those beginning a small satellite development program at the university level by presenting a case study of lessons learned from the GT-1 mission. Detail will be provided for topics including best practices for enabling modular design, creating effective documentation, structural design for proper fit-up and manufacturability, testing, and planning a realistic mission scope.
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ItemDesign of a Green Monopropellant Propulsion System from the Lunar Flashlight CubeSat Mission(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2020-08) Andrews, Dawn ; Huggins, Grayson ; Lightsey, E. Glenn ; Cheek, Nathan ; Lee, Nathan D. ; Talaksi, Ali ; Peet, Sterling ; Littleton, Lacey M. ; Patel, Sahaj ; Skidmore, Logan ; Glaser, Mackenzie J. ; Cavender, Daniel P. ; Williams, Hunter ; McQueen, Donald ; Baker, John ; Kowalkowski, MatthewLunar Flashlight is a 6U CubeSat mission from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory that will search for water-ice deposits near the lunar south pole. Lunar Flashlight aims to add to the flight experience of deep-space CubeSats by demonstrating an orbit insertion using a green monopropellant propulsion system designed uniquely for this mission. Developed by NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center (MSFC) and Georgia Tech's Space Systems Design Laboratory (SSDL), the Lunar Flashlight Propulsion System (LFPS) delivers over 2500 N-s of total impulse for the orbit insertion and necessary attitude maneuvers. The custom propulsion system fits within a 2.5U volume and has a total wet mass of less than six kilograms. It will be fueled by AF-M315E, which is a green monopropellant developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) as a safer alternative to hydrazine. Additive manufacturing is utilized to fabricate several components of its primary structure. Upon completion, Lunar Flashlight may become the first CubeSat to achieve orbit around a celestial body besides Earth. The LFPS aims to be a pathfinder device for CubeSat missions by demonstrating how monopropellant systems, green monopropellant fuel, and additive manufacturing can be utilized to expand the reach of small satellite space exploration.