Lessons Learned Analysis in Thermal Tests for Cubesats in Brazil
47th International Conference on Environmental Systems ICES-2017-265 16-20 July 2017, Charleston, South Carolina Lessons Learned Analysis in Thermal Tests for CubeSats in Brazil George Favale e Feranandes1a,b, Roy Soler Stevenson Chisabas2a Osvaldo Donizete3 a, Carlos Frajuca4b, Daniel Fernando Cantor5 aInstituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE, Laboratório de Integração e Testes – LIT, Av. dos Astronautas, 1758, 12227-010, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil. bInstituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de São Paulo – IFSP, Rua Pedro Vicente, 625, Canindé, 01109-010, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Satellite projects include many mandatory and needed parameters and requirements for their proper functioning during their mission. Although there are many orbital dynamics similarities among satellites, dedicated analyses are carried out with the purpose of analyzing all system responses, when they are exposed to the spatial environment. Inserted in a satellite project, or any other kind of component for this application, are the thermal control projects and analyses. Taking into account all those pieces of information, all thermal test specifications are generated and carefully dimensioned. The CubeSats, which figure as experimental spatial systems designed, developed and built by universities and research institutes, with components not 100% qualified for these purposes, should also undergo this dedicated thermal analysis to generate more specific test requirements for each mission and contribute to the increase of the system reliability. However, in most of the cases, that is not what happens. The Integration and Testing Laboratory - LIT, at the National Institute for Space Research - INPE, in São José dos Campos - SP, Brazil, recognized for its expertise in all the assembly, integration and test cycle for satellites and space components and using its experience acquired in over 25 years working in this field intends, in this article, to discuss all lessons learned while performing CubeSats’ space simulation tests, in qualification and acceptance levels.
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