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Basic Cubesat components

 

Example Integration of a CubeSat with GNSS capabilities

An example integration of these building blocks could look like this:

  1. Structure and Deployment: A 1U, 2U, or 3U CubeSat frame with deployable solar panels and antennas.
  2. Power: Solar panels connected to a power distribution unit that charges the battery pack.
  3. Command & Data Handling: A central command and control unit managing the CubeSat’s operations and interfacing with the GNSS receiver.
  4. Communication: A transceiver connected to a deployable antenna for ground communication.
  5. GNSS: A GNSS receiver module connected to a GNSS antenna mounted on the CubeSat frame.
  6. ADCS: Sensors and actuators integrated with the OBC for attitude determination and control.
  7. Thermal Control: Coatings and heaters ensure components stay within operational temperatures.
  8. Software: Embedded flight software on the OBC handling mission operations and GNSS data processing.
  9. Payload: GNSS receiver providing real-time position and timing data for navigation and experiments.
Top View:





Side View:



Command & Data Handling


Command and data handling should be selected to comply with the form factor expected. 
For example, a 1U form factor CubeSat is a small satellite with dimensions of 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm and a mass of up to 1.33 kg. It's the basic building block of the CubeSat standard, and its small size and standardized form make it popular for educational, research, and technology demonstration missions. Here's a breakdown of the key components and subsystems for a 1U CubeSat, especially one incorporating GNSS capabilities.

The other factor is the computation power and the power rating. It is a tradeoff between speed and power usage. FPGAs are usually a good choice, especially when equipped with a System on Chip (SoC).

<To be completed>


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