Preliminary Design, Simulation, and Test of the Electrical Power Subsystem of the TINYSCOPE Nanosatellite

摘要

Agile warfighter support, restrictive budgets, and complex adversaries are potential drivers for the United States to shift to smaller, simpler space payloads. Recent progress in miniaturized space system technologies may make it possible for nanosatellites to complement today's large, extremely high reliability, single mission satellites with smaller, less costly platforms that greatly reduce development, integration, and launch timelines. To fully realize this transition, Academia and Industry must make additional technological advances in all supporting satellite subsystems. This thesis focuses on the design, simulation, and hardware testing of a nanosatellite electrical power subsystem. Thesis efforts centered on investigating the feasibility of using commercial off the shelf power management and distribution systems in a CubeSat-based design for a tactically useful earth-imaging satellite. Criteria were developed to select one power system from among those considered. Extensive analytical simulation, electrical testing, and environmental testing was conducted in the context of TINYSCOPE's mission parameters. Tactical Imaging Nano-sat Yielding Small-Cost Operations and Persistent Earth-coverage (TINYSCOPE) is an ongoing collaborative project of the Nanosatellite Advanced Concepts Laboratory and the Small Satellites and CubeSat Laboratory both at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.