Research Summaries

Back Naval Postgraduate School CubeSat Launcher (NPSCuL) Research Infrastructure Support

Fiscal Year 2015
Division Graduate School of Engineering & Applied Science
Department Space Systems Academic Group
Investigator(s) Newman, James H.
Sponsor Department of Defense, Finance & Accounting (DoD)
Summary The NPSCuL has successfully flown as an integral component of two auxiliary payload missions that consisted of CubeSat launch systems, Operationally Unique Technologies Satellite (OUTSat) and Government Experimental Multi-Satellite (GEMSat), on the Aft Bulkhead Carrier (ABC) of the Atlas V launch vehicle. Two upcoming missions, Government Research Advanced Cooperative Experiment (GRACE) and Unique Lightweight Technology and Research Auxiliary Satellite (ULTRASat), build on several student theses to implement a CubeSat launch system in flight hardware as part of the Space Systems Academic Group (SSAG) Small Satellite hands-on laboratory work. NPSCuL and a combination of California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) Poly-Picosatellite Orbital Deployers (P-PODs) and/or 6U dispensers may be utilized to launch a significant volume of CubeSats, enabling the launch of US government payloads. Continual improvement of integration and test facilities at NPS is required to accommodate the increasing complexity of CubeSats and their launchers. This document outlines the work needed to upgrade the NPS vibration table and thermal vacuum chamber, procure and install scrubbers and exhausts to accommodate handling of specific hazardous propellants, install a hard-walled cleanroom around the vibration table and thermal vacuum chamber, and remove unused hardware to free up space for this effort. These facility upgrades will allow NPSCuL to continue to support both the testing needs of the Government and provide educational opportunities for NPS student theses.
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Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal