Abstract
When CubeSat projects are a useful means by which universities can engage their students in space-related activities. TURKSAT-3USAT is a three-unit amateur radio CubeSat jointly developed by the Space Systems Design and Test Laboratory and the Radio Frequency Electronics Laboratory of Istanbul Technical University (ITU), in collaboration with TURKSAT, A.S. company as well as the Turkish Amateur Technology Organization. It was launched on April 26, 2013 as a secondary payload on a CZ-2D rocket from China’s Jiuquan Space Center to an altitude of approximately 680 km. The mission of the satellite has two primary goals: (1) to voice communication at Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and (2) to educate students by providing hands-on experience. TURKSAT-3USAT was designed to sustain a circular, near sun-synchronous LEO, and has dimensions of 10 x 10 x 34 cm3. Within the course of this paper, TURKSAT-3USAT’s thermal control will be addressed. TURKSAT-3USAT’s thermal control model was developed using ThermXL and ESATAN-TMS software. Using this model, temperature distributions of the CubeSat when subjected to various experimental conditions of interest were computed. Using a thermal vacuum chamber (TVAC), thermal cycling and bake-out testing were carried out on the flight model to verify the thermal design performance and check the mathematical model. Based on thermal analysis results, the temperature of equipment was within the allowable temperature range except for the batteries that were between 42.56 oC and -20.31 oC. Heaters were used for the batteries in order to maintain the batteries’ temperature within the allowable temperature range.
Highlights
The space industry has sought to leverage advances in technology miniaturization which can allow the construction of small-scale spacecrafts from commonplace, inexpensive, low-power and compact commercial offthe-shelf (COTS) components [1]
Just about 99% of all launches fall within the 1U to 3U range. 3U CubeSats constitute an absolute majority of all launches at about 57%, while their 1U counterparts make up about 29% of all launches [1]
This paper address three principal topics. These are (1) general considerations of the thermal design, (2) the thermal analysis performed using ThermXL and ESATAN-TMS and (3) the results obtained from thermal testing in a thermal vacuum chamber (TVAC)
Summary
The space industry has sought to leverage advances in technology miniaturization which can allow the construction of small-scale spacecrafts from commonplace, inexpensive, low-power and compact commercial offthe-shelf (COTS) components [1]. That CubeSats have little mass, are small in size and require little power results in low payload costs which allow technology developers to fly their products aboard space missions without exposing themselves to excessive financial risk [4]. 468-482, March, 2021 continues to play an increasing role in the development and assessment of small and large spacecraft, it is important to consider how the large number of thermal cycles and high heat inputs from solar radiation and Earth’s infrared affect such LEO satellites as CubeSats [11]. The Space Systems Design and Test Laboratory and Radio Frequency Electronics Laboratory of ITU were contracted under the TURKSAT-3USAT program to provide a CubeSat for use as amateur radio. These are (1) general considerations of the thermal design, (2) the thermal analysis performed using ThermXL and ESATAN-TMS and (3) the results obtained from thermal testing in a TVAC. This variation is due to different distances between the Earth and sun at certain times during the year [34]
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