Implementation of a configurable small satellite design and mission planning tool

This thesis introduces an implementation of a configurable small satellite mission design tool based on a. i. Solutions’ FreeFlyer™ platform. Designing and operating small satellite missions poses significant challenges due to their size and mass constraints. Small satellites have limited resources and constrained capabilities, such as attitude control, power, and communication. Optimizing the performance of these subsystems is crucial for ensuring mission success and maximizing scientific return. To address these challenges, a comprehensive, integrated tool for small satellite mission design and analysis is needed. FreeFlyer™ provides a highly customizable, robust, and reliable framework for orbital performance simulations. A vital feature of the tool is its ability to script adaptive mission plans. The tool supports a wide range of orbit types, propagators, maneuvers, models, and output options for modeling and simulating complex space scenarios. The tool allows users to define and adjust satellite system parameters (e.g., satellite pointing configurations, attitude control devices, solar array and battery sizing, and communications link budgets) in a unified analysis and simulation environment to evaluate the possible trade-offs in performance against resource costs for various design choices. A survey of existing programs and their shortcomings is explored. A description of an improved tool is provided, and examples of its applications demonstrate its effectiveness in optimizing and validating a previously designed small satellite mission. These case studies illustrate the tool’s usefulness in sizing critical mission components and showcase its potential to expedite the small satellite mission design process.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Aerospace Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Harrigan, Michael

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lembeck, Michael F

• Freeflyer
• Aerospace Systems Engineering
• Design Optimization
• Satellite
• Small Satellite
• Cubesat
• Mission Planning
• Power System Sizing
• Link Budget
• Power Budget
• Force Modeling
• Data Budget
• Lassi
• Mission Design
• Orbital Simulation

Statement dc:rights

• © 2024 Michael Harrigan

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125623

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F125623