An update on the OpenOrbiter I mission: spacecraft redesign (Conference Presentation)

Abstract

The OpenOrbiter I mission has changed significantly since its conceptualization, as the small spacecraft industry has evolved – rapidly – around it. The spacecraft design has iterated through multiple concepts as changing policies and technical realities prevented various initial design decisions from being brought to fruition. Communications licensing issues, power consumption and the physical footprint of a licensable radio and structural changes are among the many challenges that the project faced. The initial goals of the mission are reviewed and an update is provided on its current status as it heads through the final steps in preparation for launch. The mission concept and revised concept of operations are reviewed. In particular, changes to the power and communications systems are discussed. The new power system and communications systems and the impact that these have on the spacecraft and overall mission are presented and discussed in detail. The paper reviews the student learning that has occurred throughout the mission development process and the impact of the required changes and associated processes on the student learning mission objectives. It revisits the question of build versus buy, in light of the pathway taken (build), the challenges that have been encountered and the results. The paper extracts, from the program’s activities and results, lessons and best practices that can be applied by others within the small spacecraft domain. It concludes with a discussion of what the mission has demonstrated to-date, what will be demonstrated by on-orbit operations and the team’s plans for future work in this area.