A Highly Adaptive Small Satellite Experiment for Space Missions Modelling

Ekpo, Sunday ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9219-3759, Elias, Fanuel, Uko, Mfonobong C, Enahoro, Sunday, Unnikrishnan, Rahul, Ijaz, Muhammad, Alabi, Stephen and Olasunkanmi, Kolawole (2024) A Highly Adaptive Small Satellite Experiment for Space Missions Modelling. In: The Third International Adaptive and Sustainable Science, Engineering and Technology Conference (ASSET 2024), 16 July 2024 - 18 July 2024, Manchester, United Kingdom. (In Press)

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Abstract

This paper presents a highly adaptive small satellites (HASSs) experiment for space mission modelling. This experiment seeks to unravel an unprecedented significant reduction in the flight validation cycle by providing a test platform for robust space mission technology(s). The experimental setup has three candidate field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) representing the model satellites. The ground station is a relay PC (with an FPGA card) running a real-time operating system. The data and communication network is a deterministic Ethernet. The ground station transmits an FPGA code to configure a satellite(s) to operate in a particular mode. The experimental modelling incorporates a pre-programmed mode change capability based on satellite attitude/orientation in space. The model analysis results reveal reliable, multifunctional, reconfigurable and cheap space missions with allowance for a HASS reuse. Hence, integrated and adaptive payload systems employing the HASS architecture can now be reliably and sustainably designed, tested and space-qualified.