The structure and payload of a CubeSat flight experiment that investigates the performance of particle dampers in a micro-gravity environment was designed, built, and tested, and will provide on orbit data for model validation and improved performance predictions for space applications of particle damping. A 3-D solid model of the integrated CubeSat structure and payload was created satisfying all constraints from CubeSat and the System Dynamics Department at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. The model was verified using commercially available Finite Element Analysis software (FEA), and a prototype structure part was fabricated. The prototype was tested and verified the FEA. A complete subassembly ready for flight was manufactured as an engineering unit and tested to space qualification loads of both launch vibration and thermal vacuum. Two additional units were contracted out for manufactured to serve as the flight unit and backup, and are currently ready for launch.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 17-20, 1994 / Town & Country Hotel and Conference Center, San Diego, California / A system to generate a contiguous high speed time division multiplexed (TDM) spacecraft downlink data stream has been developed. The 25 MBPS downlink data stream contains high rate real time imager data, intermediate rate subsystem processor data, and low rate spacecraft housekeeping data. Imager data is transferred directly into the appropriate TDM downlink data window using control signals and clocks generated in the central data formatter and distributed to the data sources. Cable and electronics delays inherent in this process can amount to several clock periods, while the uncertainty and variations in those delays (e.g. temperature effects) can exceed the clock period. Unique (patent pending) electronic circuitry has been included in the data formatter to sense the total data gathering delay for each high speed data source and use the results to control series programmable delay elements to equalize the delays from all sources and permit the formation of a contiguous output data stream.

This work describes the process of the design of a flight software for a space-qualified device, outlines the development and testing of the SW, and provides a description of the final product. The flight software described in this work has been developed for the project Demise Observation Capsule (DOC). DOC is a device planned to be attached to an upper stage of a launch vehicle and observe its demise during atmospheric re-entry at the end of its mission. Due to constraint on communication time during the mission and the need to maximize the amount of transferred data, a custom communication protocol has been developed. / Demise Observation Capsule