A systems analysis of CubeSat constellations with distributed sensors
Name
1011035557-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
13.87 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
0a68c479fa61ac86b7601930d02e26c4
Author(s)
Hein, Ayesha Georgina (Ayesha Georgina Iwalanai)
Advisor(s)
Kerri Cahoy.
Date Issued
2017
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
This thesis explores the use of CubeSat constellations as "gap fillers" and supplements to traditionally complex, multi-sensored satellites, increasing resiliency of the system at very low cost. In standard satellite acquisitions, satellites can take years and billions of dollars to reach operational status. Should there be delays in schedule or on-orbit failures, gaps in data integral to US operations can be lost. CubeSats present a low cost temporary solution. In this thesis, the weather sensing satellite, JPSS-1, is used as a reference case for a traditional multi-sensored satellite. The sensors from JPSS-1 are paired with state-of-the-art CubeSat sensors of similar functions. These CubeSats are used to make up three different constellation architectures which are examined for the revisit times and coverage they offer. These architectures are based on some of the common methods of launching and implementing a CubeSat constellation, a single mass launch, a series of available launches, and a planned configuration. This analysis shows that in some areas, like radiometry, CubeSat sensors are comparable with operational heritage sensors. In the other cases, like optical imaging and hyperspectral imagers, CubeSats have not yet advanced enough or cannot be advanced much more based on the limitations of their size and power. A practical use of a CubeSat constellation is to supplement and augment a traditional system, increasing the overall redundancy and providing data over larger geographic regions and with lower revisit times for a approximately 4.5% of the cost of a traditional satellite.
Description
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2017.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 95-103).
Subjects
Aeronautics and Astronautics.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Terms of Use
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