Achieving Science with CubeSats Thinking Inside the Box (2016) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
1 Introduction
1 Introduction
Pages 6-23
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 6... ...
space science community, which sees this platform, despite its inherent constraints, as a way to affordably access space and perform unique measurements of scientific value. The first science results from such CubeSats have only recently become available; however, questions remain regarding the scientific potential and technological promise of CubeSats in the future.
|
From page 7... ...
(d) Courtesy of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.
|
From page 8... ...
Minotaur-1 rockets.6 Six CubeSats were first launched using the P-POD in 2003 aboard a Russian Rokot launch vehicle, with three more CubeSats aboard a Kosmos-3M rocket in 2005. The larger P-POD displaced the smaller OPAL deployer, and most of the CubeSats launched in 2006 to the present time have utilized the 3U P-POD or similar form-factor 3U and 6U deployers.
|
From page 9... ...
. For example, 72 percent of the CubeSat launches in 2014 were to the ISS using the NanoRacks canister.7,8 Of the 425 CubeSats launched, NASA and NSF have launched 19 CubeSats focused explicitly on science objectives, as discussed in the section "The Current NSF and NASA CubeSat Programs." 7 Thisreport counts CubeSats integrated into a launch vehicle with a successful liftoff, even if they failed to deploy on orbit due to a subsequent launch vehicle failure.
|
From page 10... ...
for NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative ELaNa-3 mission (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites)
|
From page 11... ...
Bottom: The cumulative number of CubeSats launched by organization. The sudden rise of CubeSat launches in 2013 is from all mission types and provider classes, and the rises in 2014 and 2015 are primarily for the imaging CubeSat constellation by Planet Labs (commercial provider)
|
From page 12... ...
THE CURRENT NSF AND NASA CUBESAT PROGRAMS Pioneering CubeSats funded by NASA from 2006-2010, such as GeneSat, focused on space biology and were developed by NASA's Ames Research Center and partner organizations. Following these initial NASA-funded developments, NSF has since led the nation in the development of science-driven CubeSat programs and, to date, provides a large fraction of the flight heritage of science-driven missions.
|
From page 13... ...
The next significant increase for science-based CubeSat missions occurred in 2013, when NASA provided multiple opportunities for the space science community to propose science-based CubeSat missions. During this period, a significant increase in launches also occurred for NASA technology and NSF science CubeSats.
|
From page 14... ...
. Only the top 10 countries by number of CubeSats launched are shown in the key; however, all countries other than the United States (35 total)
|
From page 15... ...
Examining these 19 science CubeSats from NASA and NSF, there were 14 that focused on solar and space physics, 4 on biological and physical science, 1 on Earth science, and none in astronomy and astrophysics or planetary science through 2015. NASA's current emphasis on technology is shown through the 28 CubeSats launched through 2015, but they were driven by SMD science themes.
|
From page 16... ...
Bottom: Distribution, by launch year, of the 20 NASA science, 60 NASA technology, and 24 NSFfunded spacecraft launched and planned through 2018. SOURCE: Data from M
|
From page 17... ...
. CSLI, which has successfully launched 43 CubeSats as of the end of 2015,14 identifies opportunities for CubeSat launches as secondary payloads and assists with the integration of CubeSats aboard launch vehicles.
|
From page 18... ...
Each of the four Science Mission Directorate science divisions, at least two other directorates, and at least five NASA centers are developing CubeSat missions. Additionally, some of the science divisions and centers may have more than one funding opportunity for CubeSats.
|
From page 19... ...
Marshall Space Flight Center Goddard Space Flight Center CANYVAL-X, Dellingr, ESCAPE, RBLE Jet Propulsion Laboratory LMRST, RACEd ASTERIA, MITEE Kennedy Space Center Cryocube, StangSat NASA IV&V Facility STF-1 National Science Foundation CADRE, CSSWE, CINEMA-1, ELFIN,a ISX, IT-SPINS, LAICE, 2010-2018 DICE (2)
|
From page 20... ...
Additional government agencies, as discussed in Chapter 6, support CubeSat missions by providing a legal and regulatory framework. For example, CubeSat operators are required to obtain radio licenses, either from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
|
From page 21... ...
It is worthwhile to analyze the 15 NSF CubeSat science missions separately. The NSF CubeSats launched prior to September 2015 include 8 CubeSat missions (13 spacecraft)
|
From page 22... ...
The success rate for the deployed CubeSats is shown in the bottom panel. A mission is defined as a full success when the CubeSat has operated in-orbit nominally and has completed its mission objectives.
|
From page 23... ...
is 83 percent through 2015. In the committee's judgment, the strong motivation for a successful mission -- for the sake of science as well as adequate funding to address any preflight issues or risks -- are likely contributing to these high success rates for the NSF and NASA CubeSat-based science missions.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.