ARLA/CLUSTER: CubeSat´s vão testar uma nova tecnologia em baterias

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

CubeSat to test new battery technology

Radio amateurs Professor Sharlene Katz, WB6FFE, and Professor James
Flynn, WB9AWX, describe their CubeSat project, CSUNSat1, which aims to
test new technology to extend battery lifetime

Space has captured the human imagination and curiosity since the dawn
of time. While much has been discovered about this beautiful abyss,
space is still in many ways the final frontier, and California State
University Northridge’s Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering is part of this expedition.

CSUN is home one of the 13 university teams NASA has selected for
collaborative projects to develop and demonstrate new technologies and
capabilities, and spur innovation in communication, navigation,
propulsion, science instrument and advanced manufacturing for small
spacecraft. The goal of these efforts is to transform a small
spacecraft, some of which are only a few kilograms in weight, into
powerful but affordable tools for science, exploration and space
operations.

Electrical and computer engineering professors Sharlene Katz, WB6FFE,
James Flynn, WB9AWX and David Schwartz applied for a NASA SmallSat
Technology Partnership Grant. The grants were given to universities
working in partnership with a NASA center. CSUN is working with the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.

“The project is to construct a ‘CubeSat,’ called ‘CSUNSat1,’” Katz
said. “A 10-centimeter-by-10-centimeter-by-20-centimeter satellite,
roughly the size of a shoe box and weighing about 2.25 kg, to carry a
J.P.L. energy storage experiment into low Earth orbit, or about 800 km
above the Earth’s surface. Over the course of several months, the
satellite will downlink data from the experiment to a ground station
on the roof of Jacaranda Hall. The CSUN team is responsible for the
mechanical construction of the satellite, the design of the radio,
sensor electronics and power system, along with all the satellite’s
main computer programming.”

Testing of the completed satellite will be carried out by the CSUN unit.

“The team is also responsible for the design, construction and
operation of the ground station,” Katz said. “The J.P.L. is
responsible for the design and construction of the experimental
payload. NASA will launch the satellite as part of their CubeSat
Launch Initiative, which piggybacks small satellites from educational
institutions onto commercial and government satellite launches around
the world – at no cost to the educational institution.”

The CSUN team includes 20 students from the electrical engineering,
computer engineering, mechanical engineering and computer science
departments.

“Senior and graduate students were selected based on their interests,
course performance and an interview with the faculty,” Flynn said.
“Their work on the project will fulfill their senior or graduate
project requirement. Sophomore and junior students are beginning to
take part by volunteering to help with the project on a regular basis.
That gives the faculty a chance to see how they work and determine if
they can assume a major role in the project during their senior year.”

The experiment involves a new development in power storage for
spacecraft. Current systems consist of solar cells and batteries, or
some other power source and batteries.

“Unfortunately, the batteries do not work well at the extremely low
temperatures found in space far away from the sun or when the
spacecraft is the earth’s shadow,” said Flynn. “Up to now, the
batteries were equipped with heaters, but these consume precious
energy and add weight to the vehicle. In addition, current battery
systems involve rapid discharging and recharging of the batteries.
This can wear out batteries very quickly and shorten the life of a
mission. The new JPL technology eliminates the need for heaters and
protects the batteries from the rapid discharge/charge cycles. Both
aspects will allow longer missions farther from the sun.”

Katz looked to the future. “The flight of the CSUN/J.P.L. satellite
“will verify and validate this new system, making it available for use
on future missions,” she said. “In addition, the mission will validate
the CSUN satellite design and allow for future missions using this
spacecraft.”

Source: California State University Northridge have issued this press release
http://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/media-releases/csun-taking-part-in-nasa-small-spacecraft-experiment/

Radio Amateurs get $25,000 for CubeSat project from JPL
http://amsat-uk.org/2013/04/16/radio-amateurs-get-25000-for-cubesat/