Mini, micro, nanosatellite

Mini, Micro, Nanosatellite
• Small satellites or Smallsats are satellites of low mass and size,
usually under 500 kg (1,100 lb).
• While all such satellites can be referred to as small satellites,
different classifications are used to categorize them based on
mass.
Introduction
ESTCube-1 1U CubeSat

• One rationale for miniaturizing satellites is to reduce the cost: heavier
satellites require larger rockets with greater thrust that also has
greater cost to finance.
• In contrast, smaller and lighter satellites require smaller and cheaper
launch vehicles and can sometimes be launched in multiples.
• They can also be launched 'piggyback', using excess capacity on
larger launch vehicles.
• Miniaturized satellites allow for cheaper designs as well as ease of
mass production, although few satellites of any size other than
'communications constellations', where dozens of satellites are used
to cover the globe, have been mass produced in practice.
Rationales

• Another major reason for developing small satellites is the opportunity
to enable missions that a larger satellite could not accomplish, such as:
• Constellations for low data rate communications
• Using formations to gather data from multiple points
• In-orbit inspection of larger satellites
• University related research
Rationales

• The nanosatellite and microsatellite segments of the satellite launch
industry have been growing rapidly in recent years, and was based on
the Spanish low cost manufacturing for Commercial and
Communication Satellites from the 1990s.
• Development activity in the 1–50 kg range has been significantly
exceeding that in the 50–100 kg range.
• In the 1–50 kg range alone, there were fewer than 15 satellites
launched annually in 2000 to 2005, 34 in 2006, then fewer than 30
launches annually during 2007 to 2011.
• This rose to 34 launched in 2012, and 92 launched in 2013.
Definition

• Companies planning small sat launch vehicles include:
• Virgin Galactic's LauncherOne (100 kg)
• Firefly Space Systems' Alpha (400 kg).
• Rocket Lab Electron (150 kg)
• PLD Space (150 kg)

• A number of commercial and military contractor companies are
currently developing microsatellite launch vehicles to perform the
increasingly targeted launch requirements of microsatellites.
• While microsatellites have been carried to space for many years as
secondary payloads aboard larger launchers,
• The secondary payload paradigm does not provide the specificity
required for many increasingly sophisticated small satellites that have
unique orbital and launch timing requirements.
Microsatellite launch vehicle

• The term "nanosatellite" or "nanosat" is applied to an artificial
satellite with a wet mass between 1 and 10 kg (2.2 and 22.0 lb).
• Designs and proposed designs of these types may be launched
individually, or they may have multiple nanosatellites working
together or in formation,
• In which case, sometimes the term "satellite swarm" or "fractionated
spacecraft" may be applied.
• Some designs require a larger "mother" satellite for communication
with ground controllers or for launching and docking with
nanosatellites.
Nanosatellites

• In the ten years of nanosat launches prior to 2014, only 75 nanosats
were launched. Launch rates picked up substantially when in the
threemonth period from November 2013–January 2014 94 nanosats
were launched.
• One challenge of using nanosats has been the economic delivery of such
small satellites to anywhere beyond lowEarth orbit.
• By late 2014, proposals were being developed for larger spacecraft
specifically designed to deliver swarms of nanosats to trajectories that
are beyond Earth orbit for applications such as exploring distant
asteroids.
• As of June 2014, more than 1000 nanosats are projected to be launched
in the next five years.
Nanosat market

• Picosatellite or "picosat" (not to be confused with the PicoSAT series
of microsatellites) is usually applied to artificial satellites with a wet
mass between 0.1 and 1 kg (0.22 and 2.20 lb),
• Although it is sometimes used to refer to any satellite that is under 1
kg in launch mass.
• Again, designs and proposed designs of these types usually have
multiple picosatellites working together or in formation (sometimes
the term "swarm" is applied).
• Some designs require a larger "mother" satellite for communication
with ground controllers or for launching and docking with
picosatellites.
Picosatellites

• The CubeSat design, with approximately 1 kilogram (2.2 lb)
mass, is an example of a large picosatellite (or minimum
nanosat).
• Picosatellites are emerging as a new alternative for doityourself
kitbuilders.
• Picosatellites are currently commercially available across the full
range of 0.1–1 kilogram (3.5–35.3 oz).
• Launch opportunities are now available for $12,000 to $18,000
for sub1 kg picosat payloads that are approximately the size of a
soda can.
Picosatellites

• Femtosatellite or "femtosat" is usually applied to artificial satellites
with a wet mass between 10 and 100 g (0.35 and 3.53 oz).
• Like picosatellites, some designs require a larger "mother" satellite
for communication with ground controllers.
• Three prototype "chip satellites" were launched to the ISS on Space
Shuttle Endeavour on its final mission in May 2011.
• They were attached to the ISS external platform Materials
International Space Station Experiment (MISSE8) for testing.
Femtosatellites

• In March 2014, the nanosatellite KickSat was launched aboard a
Falcon 9 rocket with the intention of releasing 104
femtosatellitesized chipsats, or "Sprites".
• ThumbSat is another project intending to launch femtosatellites in
2016
Femtosatellites

• Micro/nanosats usually require innovative propulsion, attitude
control, communication and computation systems.
• Larger satellites usually use monopropellants or bipropellant
combustion rockets for propulsion and attitude control; these
systems are complex and require a minimal amount of volume to
surface area to dissipate heat.
• These systems are used on larger microsats, while other
micro/nanosats have to use electric propulsion, compressed gas,
vaporizable liquids such as butane or carbon dioxide or other
innovative propulsion systems that are simple, cheap and scalable.
Technical challenges

ISRO’s Trend towards Micro and Nano‐satellites
• ISRO has been launching multi‐purpose satellite for a long time to
reduce the cost of the satellite launch.
• In addition, the size/weight of the satellite built during early days
used to heavy.
• Also, the technology was not matured enough during those early
days to reduce the payload size considerably.
• The problem with this flow is that a payload ready for a particular
mission has to wait for other payloads to complete.

ISRO’s Trend towards Micro and Nano‐satellites
• When the remaining payloads do get ready, the integration becomes
complex and that delays the satellite launch further again...
• However, after a decade long research in the various fields the launch
cost has been reduced considerable.
• Also there is asignificant development in the technology required to
miniaturize the payload size.
• ISRO is all set to change their design methodology to take benefit of
thevarious matured technologies.

Here are the characteristics of those categories

• Third world satellite ﴾TWSAT﴿ is the first micro‐satellite that was
launched by ISRO.
• It has been renamed to IMS‐1. The mission objective was to provide
data for the academic organizations and research organization in
developing countries free of cost.
• TWSAT carries a 4‐band multi‐spectral camera with a spatial resolution
of 36m.
• The data provided by TWSAT can be used for application like
resourced management in agriculture, forestry, and land use and in
disaster management.
List of micro/mini satellites planned/launched:
1. TWSAT

• Here is the list of the sub‐systems in TWSAT in the
increasing order of the total weights,
• Actuators
• Power
• Structure
• Sensors
• Payload
• Integration
• Thermal/BMU/Mechanism
1. TWSAT

• Orbit Polar - sun synchronous
• Altitude - 635km
• Mission life - 2 years
• Mass - 83 kg
• Data storage - 16 Gb solid state recorder Telemetry,tracking,
command and data handling
• S‐band Launch date - 24/04/2008
1. TWSAT - Details

• Youth Satellite is the second in the series of micro‐satellite category
by ISRO.
• The satellite is being developed jointly between Russian universities
and Indian universities. It is expected launched somewhere during
late‐2009. The mission objectives are,
• To study the solar activity, To study the effect of solar activity on
ionosphere.
• The scientific instruments are being developed by students in both
the countries to give them a hands‐on experience in space
experiments and data processing.
2. YouthSat

• Satellite with Argos and ALtika is the first mini/nano‐satellite being
developed /to be launched by ISRO.
• It is a satellite with 2 payloads ﴾Argos nd ALtika﴿ from French space
agency, CNES.
• The satellite is planned to be placed in sunsynchronous orbit of 800
km. CNES is providing the payload module consisting of the AltiKa
altimeter, DORIS, LRA, and Argos‐3 DCS ﴾Data Collection System﴿,
and the payload data reception and processing functions, while ISRO
is responsible for the platform, launch, and operations of the
spacecraft.
• The satellite is expected to be launched during late‐2010.
3. SARAL

• To realize precise, repetitive global measurements of sea surface
height, significant wave heights and wind speed for
• The development of operational oceanography ﴾study of mesoscale
ocean viability, coastal region observations, inland waters, marine
ecosystems, etc.﴿
• Understanding of climate and developing forecasting capabilities
Operational meteorology.
3. SARAL – The mission objectives

Mini, micro, nanosatellite

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