Ultra-Compact and Low-Power Planetary Instruments at Terahertz Frequencies

Abstract

In recent years, space agencies across the globe have been actively looking into ultra-compact instruments to fly on small satellite platforms to have multiple flight missions with innovative way of getting science data. The idea is to use CubeSats – which are shoe-box size satellites – and SmallSats as useable platforms to supplement main missions as well as using them for standalone scientific missions. The size of the CubeSats are referred in the unit of `U’, where one `U’ is a cube with 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm. A small 6U CubeSat will have approximately 2U space available for low-power, low-mass, yet highly capable scientific payload (the rest of the space is used for solar cells for power generation, star tracker for guidance, attitude control, and other electronics). These CubeSat/SmallSats based flights enable advancing proof of concept instruments to higher technology readiness level (TRL) by flying them in relevant environment and allow to have multiple targeted flights with scientific data returns.Developing ultra-compact scientific payloads for these novel platforms poses a host of challenges. First, the instrument needs to be highly compact due to the lack of available space. Second, it has to be ultra-low power due to the severe restrictions on DC power availability. And finally, one has to be innovative in the design of antennas as traditional high gain reflector antennas (for scientific payload as well as for data communication) are not practical. Design and development of large aperture deployable antennas and other innovative structures are gaining a lot of attention in this regard.We have been developing high resolution spectrometers, radiometers, and radars at millimeter-wave and terahertz frequencies on CubeSat and SmallSat platforms for astrophysics, planetary science, and Earth science applications. We are also developing millimeter-wave communications systems on CubeSat platform to provide communication link during entry-descent-landing (EDL) phase of Mars and other planetary missions. In this presentation, we will present an overview of the state of the instrumentation development for CubeSat platforms and the design and implementation challenges. Innovative packaging solutions, novel antenna technology, and low-power backend solutions will also be presented. We will show that CubeSats and SmallSats will play a key role in future scientific missions to space and also they will find increasing applications in commercial communication and other endeavors.The research described herein was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA, under contract with National Aeronautics and Space Administration.