University Nano Satellite Program NSF Small Satellites Space

University Nano. Satellite Program NSF Small Satellites /Space Weather Workshop 17 May 2007 Dr. R. Scott Erwin Academic Affairs Coordinator Space Vehicles Directorate Distribution Authorized to U. S. Government agencies and their contractors. Refer other requests for this document to AFOSR/PI

Air Force Research Laboratory ROME Information Sensors KIRTLAND Space Vehicles Directed Energy HANSCOM EDWARDS Space Vehicles Propulsion Sensors EGLIN AFOSR Munitions WRIGHT-PATT MESA Human Effectiveness BROOKS Human Effectiveness TYNDALL Materials & Mfg Headquarters Air Vehicles Materials & Mfg Propulsion Sensors Human Effectiveness Information ~6000 people, ~$1. 5 B annual budget, Commander @ WPAFB 2

University Nano. Satellite Program (UNP) MANDATE Develop a “Space cadre” of highlytrained US university students Teach “hands-on” systems engineering through design, AI&T, launch and on-orbit operation of student-built nanosatellites SECONDARY GOALS Develop militarily-relevant small satellite technologies Develop US university space research capabilities Background: Nanosat-2 launch on Delta 4 Heavy (2004)

University Nano. Satellite Program Cycle Process Flow Flight Competition Review (FCR) Late March/Early April Odd Years AFOSR BAA Proposals Due Late CY Even Years Winner! AFRL/AFOSR/AIAA Rank Proposals via BAA reqs AFRL/VS Universities selected and notified January Odd Years Open to U. S. Universities only Former Student PM’s now Professor PI’s ~2 years Program Management Launch Opportunity Via AFRL/SMC (SERB) Systems Eng Kick off meeting Competition begins Early spring Odd Years S/C Eng Flight I&T Grants awarded (After Kick Off Meeting) ~110 K / school over 2 years Cycle Repeats every 2 Years – 2 Cycles running at any point in time

University Nano. Satellite History 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 UNP 3 Downselect UT-Austin (FASTRAC) January 2005 UNP 2 Launch Delta IV Heavy December 2004 NANOSAT-1/-2 Arizona State New Mexico State U Colorado-Boulder Stanford Boston Carnegie-Mellon Utah State Virginia Tech Washington UNP 2 LV Integration May 2004 UNP 2 Delivery 3 -Corner Sat January 2002 NANOSAT-3 NANOSAT-4 UT Austin Washington U - St. Louis Michigan Tech Arizona State Montana State - Bozeman Penn State Taylor U U Colorado, Boulder U Hawaii at Manoa U Michigan Worcester Polytechnic New Mexico State Utah State U Cincinnati U Minnesota U Central Florida Santa Clara U Cornell U Missouri - Rolla Texas A&M New Mexico State Washington U - St. Louis Utah State UT Austin UNP 3 Delivery Summer 2006? NANOSAT-5 U Minnesota, Santa Clara U, Texas A&M, Michigan Tech, Washington U - St. Louis, Utah State U, Colorado U, Montana State, UT Austin, Penn State, Boston U UNP 4 Downselect March 2007

University & Student Involvement 25 universities and >2500 students since 1999

Three Corner Sat (University Nano. Sat 1/2) Project Objective • Provide flight demonstration capability to two AFRL SBIR-developed low shock release devices • Study ionospheric disturbances • Measure upper atmosphere cloud formation • Simulate formation flying capability Technical Innovation / Approach • Three nearly identical independent satellites built by three separate universities • Each university plus AFRL launcher combined to form Nanosat-2 Delta-IV Heavy Liftoff Impacts / Benefits • Education legacy of the Future Aerospace Workforce • Advertisement of AFRL for recruitment • Dec 2004 – Nanosat-2 Three Corner Satellite (3 CS) Launched on the first Delta IV Heavy Demo Mission Nanosat-2 aloft Demosat on Delta IV Heavy

FASTRAC (University Nano. Sat 3) http: //fastrac. ae. utexas. edu/ (Formation Autonomous Satellite with Thrust, Relnav & Crosslink) OBJECTIVE: §Primary: Low-cost, small, precise GPS rel-nav metrology §Secondary: Demo motorized Lightband separation system & Micro-Discharge Plasma Thruster DESCRIPTION • One satellite maintains orbit altitude, the other is a drifting “control” • Verified by GPS telemetry, potentially by ground-based tracking

CUSat (University Nano. Sat-4) http: //cusat. cornell. edu/ OBJECTIVE • Demonstrate and verify on orbit Carrier-phase Differential GPS for relative navigation • Demonstrate an end-to-end autonomous on orbit visual inspection system. DESCRIPTION • Centimeter-level accurate Carrierphase Differential GPS • Cameras to gather target-satellite imagery • Image-processing techniques to verify the CDGPS relative distance and orientation estimates Generation of a 3 D model of the target satellite for the user.

Nano. Sat-5 • Competition in progress • Eleven schools participating • Missions varied from ionospheric observations, to autonomous separation and GPS navigation, to remote sensing using GPS signals. • Preliminary Design Review (PDR) will occur in August 2007 at the USU Small. Sat Conference.

AFRL Sponsored Activities Hands-on Standard Sat-Fab Practices • Aerospace Engineering Facility (AEF) @ KAFB • Includes clean room procedures, elec/mech fab • All Universities participate (~50 Students on-site) Formal Review Process NS-4 PDR, Logan, UT, August 2005 • SCR (System Concept) (t = 0) • Internal AFRL/NASA review (telecon) • PDR (6 months @ Small. Sat, Logan, UT) • ~20 Industry/Government reviewers • CDR (~1 year @ each university campus) • AFRL + selected others (industry) experts • Proto-Qualification Review (1. 5 years, @ Small. Sat) • Format as PDR w/ fully-built EDU • FCR (Flight Competition) (2 years, Location varies) • Formal Panel of Judges and Criteria w/ downselect

SHOT – Student Hands-On Training Workshop High Altitude Balloon Payload Workshop Colorado Space Grant University of Colorado Boulder, CO First Year: Standard Kit Payloads Second Year: Nanosatellite Subcomponent Payloads (e. g. sensor, comm box, etc)

Summary • Program Success – – Strong, persistent University participation Strong support from AF and AIAA Nano. Sat-1/2 launched Nano. Sat-3 delivered and in-storage • Upcoming Events – Working manifest for Nano. Sat-3 (UT-A) w/ SMC SDTW – Nano. Sat-4 (Cornell) slated for delivery Fall 2007 – Nano. Sat-5 PDR August 2007, FCR ~Spring 2009 Questions?