Cubesat.

An advanced avionics hub designed to integrate subsystems and enable X-ray measurement from the Crab Nebula Pulsar

Date: October 2021 - June 2022

Role: Publicist, Treasurer, Electrical Engineer, Team Avionics

Type: Research

Project Goal:

IRVINE03 aims to test X-ray CZT sensors and electrospray thrusters, advancing satellite technology for deep space exploration and precise X-ray measurements from the Crab Nebula Pulsar

My subteam handles avionics, the central hub integrating and controlling the satellite's subsystems.

We were elected for the NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative among 34 nationwide high school teams

IRVINE03 CubeSat System Overview and Module Breakdown

Science Module:X-Ray CZT SensorARM CPU & RAM SiPCamera, GPS & PatchUSB Interface

Smart Battery Board (SBB):Software Defined RadioGyro/AccelerometerStorage MemoryUSB Master Hub

Integrated Power Hull (IPH):Deployable Solar Panels C-Band & ADS-B AntennasLED Optical TransmitterUSB Interface

Propulsion Module:Electric Thruster PackUSB Interface

Avionics: the brain of the CubeSat
- Central hub for other teams, integrating their subsystems onto the satellite
Provide the majority of the code for the satellite
Features improved laser communication system, a large deployable solar array, a GPS, a new camera for star-tracking, and sensor to measure x-rays from the Crab Nebula Pulsar

Hardware/Software Used:

IAM-20680 - 6-axis motion tracker that combines a 3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis accelerometer, and FSYNC
- Guidance and Navigation Software
  - Measurements from the gyroscope and accelerometer allow us to determine how orientation, direction, and speed
  - Works with our star-tracking camera and GPS to accurately chart the movement and location of our CubeSat in a low Earth orbit (LEO)

Camera feed
- Ximea MU181CR-ON Microcamera with Xenocam 2.8-12mm Vari-focal Lens
- C++ code using Ximea API plus OpenCV package
- Compiles and runs via Linux Bash scripting (Makefile)
- Takes grayscale photograph, crops it, and saves it
Star tracking
- Astrometry.net API (Linux Command Terminal)
- Takes image input and returns data (FITS World Coordinate System)
- Celestial equatorial coordinates vs World Geodetic System