Nanosatellite Launch Data-Logger (Sync)
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NANOSATELLITE LAUNCH DATA-LOGGER (SYNC) A Thesis presented to the Faculty of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Electrical Engineering by Christopher Gerdom December 2018 c 2018 Christopher Gerdom ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP TITLE: Nanosatellite Launch Data-logger (Sync) AUTHOR: Christopher Gerdom DATE SUBMITTED: December 2018 COMMITTEE CHAIR: Andrew Danowitz, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering COMMITTEE MEMBER: John Bellardo, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Computer Science COMMITTEE MEMBER: Joseph Callenes-Sloan, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering iii ABSTRACT Nanosatellite Launch Data-logger (Sync) Christopher Gerdom CubeSat designers are increasingly looking to incorporate delicate structures and optics into their payloads. These delicate payloads, however, may not survive the required absolute-worst-case launch vibration testing needed for flight certification. To help address this problem, and to better match testing conditions to real-world launch environments, this thesis introduces Sync, a compact 1/4U CubeSat payload designed to collect data on the vibrations and thermal environments CubeSats experi- ence inside a deployer on the way to orbit. This data can be used to better understand the launch environment for different vehicles, and help develop new, more realistic testing guidelines that could enable more delicate payloads to be launched. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks to: • My parents, for their love and support. • Justin Sherrell, Justin Nguyen, Max Selna, and Junior Ramirez for help with mechanical design and data visualization. • My panel members Dr John Bellardo, Dr Andrew Danowitz, and Dr Joseph Callenes-Sloan for their advice and feedback on this thesis. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES . .x LIST OF FIGURES . xi CHAPTER 1 Introduction . .1 1.1 CubeSat Payload Background . .1 2 Previous Works . .3 2.1 LEO . .3 2.1.1 Mission Requirements . .5 2.1.1.1 Accelerometer Requirements . .6 2.1.1.2 LEO Thermocouple Requirements . .7 2.1.1.3 Timing and Recording . .7 2.1.1.4 Launch Abort . .8 2.1.2 Lessons Learned . .8 2.1.2.1 LEO Trigger Testing Problems . .9 2.1.2.2 Accelerometer Saturation . .9 2.1.2.3 Gswitch Orientation . 10 2.2 Alaska Research Cubesat 1(ARC-1) . 10 2.2.1 ARC-1 Mission Requirements . 11 2.2.2 ARC-1 Mission Requirements Justification and Fulfillment . 12 2.2.2.1 Launch Detection . 12 2.2.2.2 Vibrations Requirement . 12 2.2.2.3 Temperature Requirement . 13 2.2.2.4 Time Requirement . 13 2.3 Previous Work Conclusions . 13 3 System Design . 15 3.1 Sync Mission Goals . 15 3.2 Mission Requirements . 16 3.2.1 GEVS Qualification and Accelerometers 25,100, and 200G . 17 vi 3.2.1.1 Bit Resolution . 18 3.2.1.2 90 Minute Recording . 18 3.2.1.3 Electrical Isolation . 18 3.2.1.4 Small Overall Size . 18 3.2.1.5 One Year of Standby . 19 3.3 Microcontroller Selection . 21 3.3.1 Microcontroller Selection . 21 3.4 Electrical GSwitch Design . 22 3.5 Accelerometer Design . 24 3.5.1 Expected Vibrations . 24 3.5.1.1 Accelerometer Types . 24 3.5.1.2 Sensor Bandwidth . 25 3.5.2 Accelerometer Mounting . 26 3.5.3 Design Choice And Justification . 26 3.6 Analog To Digital Converter Design . 27 3.6.0.1 Expected Signal . 28 3.7 Anti-Aliasing Filter . 29 3.7.1 Analog To Digital Design Conclusion . 30 3.8 Memory . 32 3.8.1 Memory Properties Derived From Mission Requirements . 32 3.8.1.1 Memory Type . 33 3.8.2 Sync Selection . 34 3.9 Databudget . 36 3.9.0.1 Internal Data Transfer . 36 3.9.0.2 External Transfer To The SD Card . 36 3.9.0.3 SD Limits . 37 3.9.0.4 Data Budget Summary . 37 3.10 Structure . 37 3.10.0.1 Sync Plate . 37 3.11 Power . 40 3.11.0.1 Regulator Separation . 40 3.11.0.2 Analog Considerations . 41 vii 3.11.0.3 Power Budget . 41 3.11.0.4 Batteries . 42 3.12 CubeSat Interface . 43 3.12.1 Power . 44 3.12.2 Isolation . 44 3.12.3 Data . 45 4 System Implementation . 46 4.1 Schematic . 46 4.1.1 Component Selection . 46 4.1.2 regulators . 47 4.1.2.1 Supporting Memory Circuits . 47 4.1.3 Analog Signal Chain . 48 4.1.4 MPS430 . 50 4.1.4.1 Design Challenges . 50 4.1.5 Schematic Verification . 51 4.2 Board Layout . 52 4.2.0.1 Board Stack-Up . 52 4.2.0.2 Digital And Analog Concerns . 52 4.2.0.3 Board Area And Keepouts . 54 4.3 Software . 55 4.3.0.1 Initialization State . 56 4.3.0.2 Sleep State . 56 4.3.0.3 Recording Initialization State . 57 4.3.0.4 Recording State . 57 4.3.0.5 Closing State . 58 4.3.0.6 Idle State . 58 4.3.1 SD Card Software Interface . 58 4.3.1.1 SD Card Memory Structure . 59 4.3.2 Electrical GSwitch . 59 5 Testing...................................... 61 5.1 Vibration Testing . 61 5.1.1 Test Setup . 62 viii 5.1.2 Testing Process . 62 5.1.3 testing results . 64 5.1.3.1 Results Of Payload Accelerometer Readings . 64 5.1.3.2 Control and Payload Data Comparison . 65 5.1.4 Test Conclusions . 66 5.2 Data Rate Testing . 72 5.2.1 Testing Methodology . 72 5.2.2 Testing Results . 72 5.2.3 Summary . 74 5.3 Power Budget Verification . 74 5.3.1 Pin States and Power Draw . 75 5.3.2 Measured Power vs Expected power . 75 5.4 Conclusion . 76 6 Results and Summary . 77 6.0.1 Launch Detection . 77 6.0.2 GEVS Qualification and Accelerometers 25, 100, and 200G . 77 6.0.2.1 90 Minute Recording . 78 6.0.2.2 Electrical Isolation . 78 6.0.2.3 Small Overall Size . 79 6.0.2.4 One Year of Standby . 79 6.1 Future Work . 80 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 81 APPENDICES A FEA Analysis of Sync Payload Board . 84 B Assembly Procidure . 90 C As Run Assembly Procidues . 100 ix LIST OF TABLES Table Page 3.1 Overview of possible microcontroller/microprocessors for the Sync payload. 22 3.2 Memory availability and capacity generated from in stock selection at DigiKey at time of writing.[4] . 35 3.3 Non volatile memory with a SPI interface available at DigiKey at the time of writing . 35 3.4 Estimated standby current draw. 42 3.5 Estimated active current draw . 43 5.1 Predicted vs Actual current. 75 x LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 2.1 Dimensionless CAD model of LEO, internal components visible. .4 2.2 The ARC-1 data logger payload[8] . 11 3.1 The working block diagram of the system . 15 3.2 NASA GEVs profile for spacecraft vibrations testing used to guide Cal Poly vibrations.