Apprenticeship 2017-2018: Katherine Dolma

The Alaska Research CubeSat 2 (ARC2) is currently being developed in the Space System Engineering Lab at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The primary scientific mission of ARC2 is to log launch environment data to monitor the launch experience of the CubeSat. The ARC2 currently houses the Clyde Space 3rd generation 1U Electrical Power System (EPS) with a 20Wh battery. This system is more expensive than the entirety of ARC2 and the only system not created by the ARC team. The goal of this project is to change that. When creating space hardware, having a duplicate for testing purposes is prudent. The test model, or engineering model, allows for potential problems with the satellite to be recreated and solved in the lab. Due to the expense of the EPS and the end goal of having a CubeSat designed and manufactured completely in house, I will be creating a working EPS for the engineering model. This model will become the basis for an EPS that can be built independently and launched in a future CubeSat missions.  

The EPS is responsible for several vital things within ARC2. The main objective of the EPS is to provide power to all systems onboard. It does this by providing 3.3 V, 5 V, and 12 V lines that connect to the headers. These, in turn, connect to the other subsystems. The EPS must also be able to be programmable within ARC2’s communication protocol. By creating the basis for an in-house manufactured EPS, future Alaska Research CubeSats will have complete design freedom. Clyde’s EPS is the dictating factor in much of ARC2’s design. If the EPS is designed by the ARC team, the project can be better tailored to the team’s specific goals allowing for greater engineering development and an increase in the potential for scientific discovery.  

This student designed ESP will be extending the knowledge base for future engineers and scientists within the relatively new field of CubeSat technology and it allows for greater student involvement in extraterrestrial research, in line with NASA’s technology roadmap TA 3: Space Power and Energy Storage. The purchased EPS, from Clyde Space, is over three times the entire cost of the rest of ARC2. By designing an EPS, the costs of the entire satellite will diminish, allowing program funds to be allocated for a greater chance for technological improvements in future CubeSat technology. Additionally, we will then be able to collaborate with other university projects to help other teams that lack the necessary funds to complete a CubeSat mission independently.