Cost Model for CubeSat Projects in Mexico

Abstract

This work focused on designing a cost estimation model in the area of space engineering for the development of nanosatellite projects in Mexico. See employed the use of methodologies such as Hall and Jenkins, software engineering cost estimating methodology, as well as project management methodology. Similarly, the COSYSMO methodology and parametric cost methodology were incorporated to guide this research towards the space sector. The estimation results are based on satellite engineering equations and forecasts of the inflation factor. Finally, a graphical user interface named SACANI was obtained. Allowing the estimating a nanosatellite project by ”integration of components” or by ”research and development”. The first asks the user for the components by subsystem through drop-down lists, giving a breakdown of the estimated costs for the CubeSat, development phases and ground station, according to the data provided by the interested party. The second model is more robust because it requests the type of project, the category, the amount of CubeSat required, the year to estimate the cost, the mass of the payload, among other data. Similarly, both models yield a previous result of the estimate made according to the data entered by the project estimator.