Communications architecture for Martian surface exploration with a swarm of wind-driven rovers

This decade has seen growing interest in Mars exploration. Advances in distributed systems, miniaturization and commoditization of space electronics and innovations in communications permit us to rethink the current paradigm of relying on a few heavy, slow and expensive high-tech rovers for Mars surface exploration. In this work, we address the...

Frequency Augmented Clock Synchronization for Space-based interferometry

Recently, an increase in distributed space systems and a rise in number of nodes in such systems is observed in numerous space applications, for example space-based interferometry. Such applications pose stringent demands on time synchronization which can be challenging to achieve for satellite networks that lack an absolute time reference...

Extracting Learning Performance Indicators from Digital Learning Environments

In the last decades, there has been a steady adoption of digital online platforms as learning environments applied to all levels of education. This increasing adoption forces a transition in educational resources which has further been accelerated by the recent pandemic, leading to an almost complete online-only learning environment in some...

High Data-Rate Inter-Satellite Link (ISL) For Space-Based Interferometry

The inter-satellite link (ISL) in swarm and constellation missions is a key enabler in the autonomy of the mission. OLFAR (Orbiting Low Frequency Array for Radio astronomy) is one such mission where 10 to 50+ nanosatellites are placed in the Lunar orbit and perform astronomical observations from the far-side of the moon. Each of the...

Low-frequency observations using high-altitude balloon experiments (LOBE)

The frequency range below 30 MHz remains one of the last unexplored frequency ranges in radio astronomy However, Earth-based observations at these wavelengths are severely impeded, due to man-made radio frequency interference (RFI) and atmospheric opacity. To overcome this impediment, various space-based radio astronomy studies have been...

LUMIO: An Autonomous CubeSat for Lunar Exploration

The Lunar Meteoroid Impact Observer (LUMIO) is one of the four projects selected within ESA’s SysNova competition to develop a small satellite or scientific and technology demonstration purposes to be deployed by a mothership around the Moon. Themission utilizes a 12U form-factor CubeSat which carries the LUMIO-Cam, an optical instrument...

Enhanced Distributed Space Systems with Miniature Spacecraft: Spatial Distribution, Collision Analysis and Cooperative Communication

The repertoire of words in the English language to refer to groups of animals is quite fascinating to say the least – a congregation of alligators, an army of ants, a troop of baboons, a pride of lions, a train of camels, a destruction of cats, an intrusion of cockroaches, a mob of emus, a plague of insects, a drift of pigs, and so on. The...

System design of LUMIO: A CubeSat at Earth-Moon L2 for observing lunar meteoroid impacts

The Earth–Moon system is constantly being bombarded by a significant number of meteoroids with different sizes and velocities. Observation of the lunar surface impacts will enable characterization of the lunar meteoroid flux, which is similar to that of the Earth, and provide more detailed information on meteoroid size, velocity, temporal and...

LUMIO: Characterizing Lunar Meteoroid Impacts with a CubeSat

The Lunar Meteoroid Impact Observer (LUMIO) is a mission designed to observe, quantify, and characterize the meteoroid impacts by detecting their flashes on the lunar farside. Earth-based lunar observations are restricted by weather, geometric, and illumination conditions, while a lunar orbiter can improve the detection rate of lunar meteoroid...

LUMIO: a CubeSat at Earth-Moon L2

The Lunar Meteoroid Impact Observer (LUMIO) is a CubeSat mission to observe, quantify, and characterize the meteoroid impacts by detecting their flashes on the lunar farside. LUMIO is one of the two winners of ESA’s LUCE (Lunar CubeSat for Exploration) SYSNOVA competition, and as such it is being considered by ESA for implementation in the near...

LUMIO: achieving autonomous operations for Lunar exploration with a CubeSat

The Lunar Meteoroid Impacts Observer (LUMIO) is one of the four projects selected within ESA’s SysNova competition to develop a small satellite for scientific and technology demonstration purposes to be deployed by a mother ship around the Moon. The mission utilizes a 12U form-factor CubeSat which carries the LUMIO-Cam, an optical instrument...

Long-term performance analysis of NORAD Two-Line Elements for CubeSats and PocketQubes

This paper aims at analysing the current capabilities of the NORAD Space Surveillance network, in particular focusing on very small objects in LEO. Spacecraft miniaturization has been pushing the limits and capabilities of small satellites so much that spacecraft as small as 5x5x5 cm have already been launched and even smaller ones are currently...

Cubesats to pocketqubes: Opportunities and challenges

<b>In the last two decades, CubeSats have changed the perception of satellite missions aided by standardization and usage of commercial-off-the-shelf components. CubeSats have also proven the feasibility of low cost and short development time space missions. The PocketQube with a form factor of 5x5x5 cm has been...

A Novel Planar Antenna for CubeSats

The UHF radio amateur band situated around 436 MHz is a very popular radio band for CubeSat Communications. This band has around 14.5 dB lower path loss compared to the popular S-band due to the lower frequency. The longer wavelength accompanied with the UHF band results in antennas that are relatively big compared to the size of a CubeSat. To...

Match filtering approach for signal acquisition in radio-pulsar navigation

Pulsars with their periodic pulses and known positions are ideal beacons for navigation. The challenge, however, is the detection of the very weak pulsar signals that are submerged in noise. Radio based approaches allow the use of advanced techniques and methods for the detection and acquisition of such weak signals. In this paper, an effective...

Systematic identification of applications for a cluster of femto-satellites

Embracing reduced requirements and leveraging commercial technology has led to a fast growing small satellite industry. Although most interest in small satellites has hovered around the micro satellites through to the picosatellites, academic interest now extends up to the sub 100 g range of satellites as well. Femto-satellites with a mass range...