NPS Cubesat Launcher-Lite Sequencer

摘要

The purpose of this thesis is to document my activities related to designing and constructing a flight-like, payload deployment sequencer. The sequencer will be a model of the operational sequencer to be used in the NPS CubeSat Launcher (NPSCuL) project. NPSCuL is being built to address a need for domestic CubeSat launch capability and is designed to launch a significant volume of CubeSats into orbit in a single launch. The NPSCuL will be a secondary payload on U.S. launch vehicles and will be attached to the launch vehicle via the EELV (Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle) Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA), or compatible launch vehicle structures. A small version of NPSCuL called NPSCuL-Lite will house CubeSats in up to 8(question mark)-1x1x3 ('3U') Poly Pico-satellite Orbital Deployers (P-PODs) developed by the California Polytechnic State University (Cal-Poly). The sequencer's function is to issue commands and drive the circuitry to open the P-PODs in the proper sequence. The sequencer may be mounted either externally from the NPSCuL-Lite or internally. Both a functional flight-similar model, and a mass model of the correct size and CG, are required for future testing.