It is not necessary to spend millions to conduct scientific research concerning the challenges of space exploration. KSF Space Foundation has made it easier by creating a CubeSat kit.
KSF Space Foundation and CubeSat Kit
The KSF Space Foundation, a non-profit NGO, is the world’s first Space Foundation that strives to support smaller satellite missions. Due to the high costs associated with space exploration, it is often difficult for educational institutes to take on such projects. To help with this, KSF has created a CubeSat kit that is designed to meet the organization’s goals and to enhance its educational outreach. As KSF is at the forefront of the limited satellite industry, they are encouraging universities to make use of their CubeSat kit to complete their space missions.
Properties of the CubeSat Kits
- With the goal of minimizing power and weight requirements, the CubeSats kits were designed. As a consequence, these CubeSats are the most cost-effective in the world due to their smaller size. Additionally, these features make them an ideal tool for educational and research purposes in the world of small-scale satellites.
- Simplified Assembly Universities can assemble and configure the CubeSat kit without the help of an expert, making the process of integrating into their CubeSat satellites much easier.
- Affordable CubeSat kits are obtainable for many universities and research institutes in developing countries since it is within their allocated budget. This means that they don’t need to look for donations or money raising to buy these kits.
- • IFGICT has created Verification CubeSats kits that will fit in any CubeSat. These kits have been inspected and accepted by the global federation. When used in space, these kits can be launched in CubeSats to an altitude of about 250km.
What’s a CubeSat satellite?
A CubeSat satellite is a small-scale spacecraft. Its volume is just over five Rubik’s Cubes, equaling a 10 x 10 x 11.4 cm cube and weighing approximately one kilogram. These miniature satellites are cost-effective to manufacture and can be constructed in a relatively short amount of time. CubeSats are considered to be a revolutionary technology as they make space exploration more feasible for the average person.
What are its main benefits?
CubeSats have a variety of applications; they can be used as a solitary unit or grouped together to form a more enhanced device. There are four distinct purposes for CubeSats: instrument testing, scientific research via experiments, commercial usage, and educational projects.
Origins
The CubeSat mission was initiated in the late 1990s by California Polytechnic State University and Stanford University as an educational tool for students to gain experience in constructing, launching, and operating a space mission. In 2003, the first CubeSat was launched, and over 1,200 have been sent since then. Out of these, around 80 have been lost in launch failures, and fifty countries have been involved in the project. This has enabled advanced research and saved governments a great amount of money.
Size Matters
We can see the incredible amounts of technology that have been crammed into the average cellular device. Normally, these phones come with five different radios, four transmitters that are two-way, plus a GPS receiver. As well, there are a variety of sensors that measure position, acceleration, light, temperature, pressure, sound, speed, and rotation. These pieces of tech are incredibly strong and durable, able to handle even a space mission. In fact, some have already achieved this.
These devices can go for days on a single battery charge, however, attaching a couple of solar cells allows them to operate continuously. Not only that, but they can also store data, snap shots, make videos, and be a great starting point to build a CubeSat.
How is a CubeSat launched into space?
Dr Mohamed Kayyali, Chairman of KSF Space, noted that CubeSats can be launched from rockets or deployed from the International Space Station and can operate either independently or as part of a constellation. He highlighted the utility of such a constellation, saying, “When working together, they can share data and expand their reach and capabilities.”
How Many Can We Launch?
The P-POD, which is short for Poly-Pico-satellite Orbital Deployer, is a rectangular box designed to hold up to three CubeSat units. This can be affixed to any rocket with extra room, or sent to the International Space Station (ISS) where it can be ejected from the Japanese module’s airlock. The devices are spring-launched, meaning there are no chemical residues or gases that could disrupt the ISS functions.
Decomposition
The FORTRAN code program was used to calculate the orbital decay period, which is given in years. For a satellite with a 5 kg volume, the European Code of mitigation requires an altitude of 500 km and 550 km for orbits, and it will take 7.4 and 15.8 years to decay, respectively. If a satellite has a 10 kg volume, the only altitude that will comply with the European Code of mitigation is 500 km, with a decomposition period of 14.9 years. The KSF Space Foundation CubeSat kit was designed to be both user-friendly and highly efficient, and it provides all the essentials needed to construct a CubeSat. Also, the kit is customizable, so users can add components like sensors to their own CubeSat to meet their individual needs. Chairman of KSF Space Foundation, Dr. Kayyali, commented on the CubeSat kit saying, “This new model will make it easier and more affordable for schools and universities to begin their space projects, without having to secure extensive funding.”
Conclusion
CubeSats have become so helpful that they’re being used for more than just technological validation or educational purposes. Their size is being modified to fulfill larger scientific objectives and even defense projects. As they are inexpensive, speedy, and temporary, they rely on commercially available technology. KSF Space Foundation has put out a CubeSat kit that is low-cost and can be paired with CubeSat satellites. This version has been specifically tailored for institutes to decrease their expenditure. The CubeSat kit is lightweight and needs minimal power to function, making it easy for educational institutions to buy with their usual space project funds, without requiring additional money.
