{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/140689"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/140689","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Command and Data Handling-Driven Spacecraft Operations Using Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation","abstract":"CubeSats have emerged as a cost-effective platform for space research and technology demonstration, but mission success remains highly dependent on reliable command execution, telemetry handing, and subsystem coordination. Traditional satellite evaluation methods often emphasize isolated subsystem validation or environmental simulation, while providing limited insight into end-to-end spacecraft operations governed by the Command and Data Handling (CandDH) subsystem. The thesis addresses the need this gap by developing and evaluating a COSMOS-based CandDH architecture integrated with the EyasSat educational spacecraft to enable realistic, flight-like command and telemetry operations in a hardware-inthe- loop environment. While attitude determination and control subsystem (ADCS) experiments are used as a representative case study, the primary contribution of this work lies in demonstrating how CandDH-driven command sequencing, mode management, and telemetrytriggered logic can be exercised and validated prior to flight. Experimental results show reliable execution of scripted command sequences, deterministic telemetry-driven responses, and repeatable operational scenarios including payload activation, mode transitions, and closed-loop attitude responses. The integrated EyasSat–COSMOS environment provides a modular and extensible spacecraft operations testbed that shifts validation from isolated subsystem performance toward system-level operational readiness. This approach reduces integration risk, supports operator training, and enables future expansion toward full mission timeline testing involving multiple spacecraft subsystems. The results demonstrate that a low-cost educational spacecraft can effectively support CandDH-centric validation of spacecraft operations, bridging the gap between software-only simulation and flight hardware testing.","abstract_html":"CubeSats have emerged as a cost-effective platform for space research and technology demonstration, but mission success remains highly dependent on reliable command execution, telemetry handing, and subsystem coordination. Traditional satellite evaluation methods often emphasize isolated subsystem validation or environmental simulation, while providing limited insight into end-to-end spacecraft operations governed by the Command and Data Handling (CandDH) subsystem. The thesis addresses the need this gap by developing and evaluating a COSMOS-based CandDH architecture integrated with the EyasSat educational spacecraft to enable realistic, flight-like command and telemetry operations in a hardware-inthe- loop environment. While attitude determination and control subsystem (ADCS) experiments are used as a representative case study, the primary contribution of this work lies in demonstrating how CandDH-driven command sequencing, mode management, and telemetrytriggered logic can be exercised and validated prior to flight. Experimental results show reliable execution of scripted command sequences, deterministic telemetry-driven responses, and repeatable operational scenarios including payload activation, mode transitions, and closed-loop attitude responses. The integrated EyasSat–COSMOS environment provides a modular and extensible spacecraft operations testbed that shifts validation from isolated subsystem performance toward system-level operational readiness. This approach reduces integration risk, supports operator training, and enables future expansion toward full mission timeline testing involving multiple spacecraft subsystems. The results demonstrate that a low-cost educational spacecraft can effectively support CandDH-centric validation of spacecraft operations, bridging the gap between software-only simulation and flight hardware testing.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Caulfield, William Riley"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Aerospace Engineering","degree_department":"Aerospace and Ocean Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Kenyon, Samantha Parry","Schroeder, Kevin Kent"],"committee_members":["Denby, Bradley"],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-01-08","date_published":"2026-01-08","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:10Z","subjects":["ADCS","COSMOS","EyasSat","Satellite Design"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:45615"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:45615","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10919/140689","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Kenyon, Samantha Parry","Schroeder, Kevin Kent"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Denby, Bradley"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Aerospace and Ocean Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Caulfield, William Riley"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2026-01-09T09:00:49Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2026-01-09T09:00:49Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2026-01-08"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Aerospace Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ADCS","COSMOS","EyasSat","Satellite Design"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:45615"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/140689"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["CubeSats have emerged as a cost-effective platform for space research and technology demonstration, but mission success remains highly dependent on reliable command execution, telemetry handing, and subsystem coordination. Traditional satellite evaluation methods often emphasize isolated subsystem validation or environmental simulation, while providing limited insight into end-to-end spacecraft operations governed by the Command and Data Handling (CandDH) subsystem. The thesis addresses the need this gap by developing and evaluating a COSMOS-based CandDH architecture integrated with the EyasSat educational spacecraft to enable realistic, flight-like command and telemetry operations in a hardware-inthe- loop environment. While attitude determination and control subsystem (ADCS) experiments are used as a representative case study, the primary contribution of this work lies in demonstrating how CandDH-driven command sequencing, mode management, and telemetrytriggered logic can be exercised and validated prior to flight. Experimental results show reliable execution of scripted command sequences, deterministic telemetry-driven responses, and repeatable operational scenarios including payload activation, mode transitions, and closed-loop attitude responses. The integrated EyasSat–COSMOS environment provides a modular and extensible spacecraft operations testbed that shifts validation from isolated subsystem performance toward system-level operational readiness. This approach reduces integration risk, supports operator training, and enables future expansion toward full mission timeline testing involving multiple spacecraft subsystems. The results demonstrate that a low-cost educational spacecraft can effectively support CandDH-centric validation of spacecraft operations, bridging the gap between software-only simulation and flight hardware testing."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["Small satellites known as CubeSats have made space missions more affordable for universities and small research teams. To properly function, however, even these low-cost spacecraft must reliably receive commands, report their status, and coordinate their onboard systems in order to succeed. Many existing testing methods for satellites prior to sending them to space focus on individual components such as navigation or communication, or specific simulated environments such as microgravity or magnetic fields. Such tests can overlook how a spacecraft actually operates as a complete system during a mission. This thesis presents a new way to test spacecraft operations by connecting real satellite hardware to a ground-based control system that mimics how missions are run after launch. Using the EyasSat educational spacecraft and the COSMOS ground software, this work creates a realistic testing environment where commands are sent, response are monitored, and onboard decisions are triggered just as they would be in space. Although spacecraft pointing experiments are used to demonstrate the system, the main focus of this research is not the attitude control itself, but how spacecraft commands and data are managed as part of normal operations. The test results show that automated command sequences run reliable, the spacecraft responds predictably to changing conditions, and common mission activities such as switching operating modes or turning instruments on and off can be validated before launch. Overall, the work completed demonstrates that low-cost educational spacecraft can be used to practice and validate real mission operations. By testing how the spacecraft, software, and operators work together, this approach helps reduce mission risk, supports hands-on training, and bridges the gap between simple computer simulations and testing with real flight hardware."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Command and Data Handling-Driven Spacecraft Operations Using Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Kenyon, Samantha Parry","Schroeder, Kevin Kent"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Denby, Bradley"],"dc:contributor.department":["Aerospace and Ocean Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Caulfield, William Riley"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2026-01-09T09:00:49Z"],"dc:date.available":["2026-01-09T09:00:49Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2026-01-08"],"dc:description.abstract":["CubeSats have emerged as a cost-effective platform for space research and technology demonstration, but mission success remains highly dependent on reliable command execution, telemetry handing, and subsystem coordination. Traditional satellite evaluation methods often emphasize isolated subsystem validation or environmental simulation, while providing limited insight into end-to-end spacecraft operations governed by the Command and Data Handling (CandDH) subsystem. The thesis addresses the need this gap by developing and evaluating a COSMOS-based CandDH architecture integrated with the EyasSat educational spacecraft to enable realistic, flight-like command and telemetry operations in a hardware-inthe- loop environment. While attitude determination and control subsystem (ADCS) experiments are used as a representative case study, the primary contribution of this work lies in demonstrating how CandDH-driven command sequencing, mode management, and telemetrytriggered logic can be exercised and validated prior to flight. Experimental results show reliable execution of scripted command sequences, deterministic telemetry-driven responses, and repeatable operational scenarios including payload activation, mode transitions, and closed-loop attitude responses. The integrated EyasSat–COSMOS environment provides a modular and extensible spacecraft operations testbed that shifts validation from isolated subsystem performance toward system-level operational readiness. This approach reduces integration risk, supports operator training, and enables future expansion toward full mission timeline testing involving multiple spacecraft subsystems. The results demonstrate that a low-cost educational spacecraft can effectively support CandDH-centric validation of spacecraft operations, bridging the gap between software-only simulation and flight hardware testing."],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["Small satellites known as CubeSats have made space missions more affordable for universities and small research teams. To properly function, however, even these low-cost spacecraft must reliably receive commands, report their status, and coordinate their onboard systems in order to succeed. Many existing testing methods for satellites prior to sending them to space focus on individual components such as navigation or communication, or specific simulated environments such as microgravity or magnetic fields. Such tests can overlook how a spacecraft actually operates as a complete system during a mission. This thesis presents a new way to test spacecraft operations by connecting real satellite hardware to a ground-based control system that mimics how missions are run after launch. Using the EyasSat educational spacecraft and the COSMOS ground software, this work creates a realistic testing environment where commands are sent, response are monitored, and onboard decisions are triggered just as they would be in space. Although spacecraft pointing experiments are used to demonstrate the system, the main focus of this research is not the attitude control itself, but how spacecraft commands and data are managed as part of normal operations. The test results show that automated command sequences run reliable, the spacecraft responds predictably to changing conditions, and common mission activities such as switching operating modes or turning instruments on and off can be validated before launch. Overall, the work completed demonstrates that low-cost educational spacecraft can be used to practice and validate real mission operations. By testing how the spacecraft, software, and operators work together, this approach helps reduce mission risk, supports hands-on training, and bridges the gap between simple computer simulations and testing with real flight hardware."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:45615"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/140689"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["ADCS","COSMOS","EyasSat","Satellite Design"],"dc:title":["Command and Data Handling-Driven Spacecraft Operations Using Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Aerospace Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:10Z"}