KSP Community CubeSat

[Mazon Del]

So what Luis told me for the camera stuff in the satellite. Simple pictures (zoomed in, but not microscope grade) is enough to get good data on how severe the gravitometric response is from the moss. However, if we got to the point of microscope, then we could determine specifically how the cells are organized to cause this particular growth which is better.

As far as cameras for outside views, it really just ends up being simpler to have a small camera that is fixed in an external viewing position rather than doing some sort of porthole thing. A tiny CMOS camera (admittedly low-res, but just an example) is only a few grams of weight. A small space-rated servo to manage the porthole will almost certainly be heavier. That is ignoring the fact that we now need to devote mass budget to having a window and proper sealant instead of just a contiguous wall.

[henryrasia]

We need to remebmer that we are relying a lot in public hype, so having an external hd camera might be worth it. Just a thought.

[Gatvin]

I'm by no means an expert, but I've been looking into gas sensors. So far the smallest things I can find are these pocket sensors mostly related to combustibles and dangerous gasses. http://www.sensotran.com/products/product-34.html

Does anyone have a better idea of how we should put together the atmospheric sensors?

[Nicholander]

Atmospheric sensor? I think it needs to be able to detect air pressure, temperature, humidity and the exact composition of the air (Like how much oxygen, CO2 and other things) I THINK that's all we need it to detect.

[Gatvin]

Right. We won't necessarily need a separate sensor for each of them, but we do need to select which ones we want to use and how they fit into the reporting system. Most things that use atmospheric sensors are for much larger volumes than a cube-sat. Pressure and temperature should be easy, but humidity and composition might take more work. Humidity detectors are often tied to de-humidifiers, etc, so there might be some hacking or custom design involved. If we want exact air comp, we might need a sensor for each gas we want to detect.

Its possible there's some sort of all-in-one controller out there for this sort of thing, but most of the ones I've found are too big.

[deljr15]

On the doc we should add a section for craft requirements.

This way we can put together a simple list of all the systems we need/want as people think of things we can add them to the list

Systems:
	Required:
		MCU
		Communications
		experiment
		orientation
		GPS
		Solar Panels

	Wanted:
		Hi Res Camera
		S-band radio

Edited November 6, 2014 by deljr15
formating

[Nicholander]

Would atmospheric stabilization systems (For the moss) be considered a component of the experiment? Or a new system?

[deljr15]

Would atmospheric stabilization systems (For the moss) be considered a component of the experiment? Or a new system?

For the purposes of the proposed list it would be its own system. This list is to give guidance to people researching various systems. As we progress thru this project on future iterations I see that as being reclassified to the experiment category. However that will be much farther off after we begin fine tuning our selections.

The goal of this list is to give some guidance. Simply put a list of all the systems we need to research, and compile data. The doc already has a good start on this part. This will also allow us to try to avoid a fixed schedule. As anyone that is looking at that list can pick a system, start researching and add their results to the system specifics section that has already been started.

Example: GPS - An unlocked GPS unit will give us all the tracking we need for basic mission. It will be useless if we go past LEO, however.

On this one we will need to select a GPS unit we believe will work and list its specs. Size, Mass, other system specific data. The more selected units the easier it will be to fine tune our design.

I will be trying to collect models for the components that are already selected as candidates both required and wanted.

P.S. I picked up a copy of "Surviving Orbit the DIY Way"

[Mazon Del]

The moss doesn't actually need any stabilization systems beyond temperature. With the samples being provided the sucrose and being quite small, they will likely use up their available atmosphere within about 2-3 weeks, so about the lifetime of the experiment. WE still need to measure this change, but we do not actually need to do anything to effect the atmosphere.

Generally speaking for that GPS unit, if there isn't a list of cubesat safe ones (there must be) then shop external to the US, otherwise they will likely have the altitude/speed limiters in place that brick the unit if it is moving too fast or is too high. After all, we wouldn't want to accidentally have made a ballistic missile. *rolls eyes*

[LvL]

I wonder what would happen if it hit the whitehouse or the pentagon...

[deljr15]

Generally speaking for that GPS unit, if there isn't a list of cubesat safe ones (there must be) then shop external to the US, otherwise they will likely have the altitude/speed limiters in place that brick the unit if it is moving too fast or is too high. After all, we wouldn't want to accidentally have made a ballistic missile. *rolls eyes*

I understand that is the general plan. However if we are to make this, eventually, a successful kickstarter. We will need to be able to say with $x we will buy the stuff in our BOM (Bill of Materials). Then we will also need a quote from a launch provider or to have already received a launch grant from NASA.

I selected GPS as a example because it has been left blank up to now. I did not intend to single it out.

[deljr15]

I wonder what would happen if it hit the whitehouse or the pentagon...

Men with black bags are already on their way to your house

[K^2]

I understand that is the general plan. However if we are to make this, eventually, a successful kickstarter. We will need to be able to say with $x we will buy the stuff in our BOM (Bill of Materials). Then we will also need a quote from a launch provider or to have already received a launch grant from NASA.

Of course, but we need a shopping list first, and for that, we need a near-final design. I simply couldn't tell you quality/types of some of components we will need at this point.

But yeah, it is something we'll have to have eventually, down to specific places where we can buy units and price for each.

[Nicholander]

K^2, could you put : "NEXT DEADLINE: BY THE END OF 2014 HAVE A NEAR-FINAL DESIGN THAT WOULD ACTUALLY WORK" in the first post? And our shopping list will have to depend on how much money the KickStarter will get us, and that is something I really don't know. Maybe $80,000 US dollars or so, but ArduSat pledged for just $35,000, and they ended up getting $106,330, and managed to launch 2 CubeSats! (And are currently making a 3rd, I think)

Edited November 8, 2014 by Nicholander

[NERVAfan]

It will be destroyed on re-entry, we don't really have to worry about it hitting anything.

And even if it somehow survived, it wouldn't hit the ground at some crazy speed due to terminal velocity (and it would be less dense than your average meteorite) so the damage would be less than that of a meteorite of comparable size, which are not that rare.

(And the chances of an object dropped at random onto Earth hitting an artificial structure are actually quite low.)

[henryrasia]

But we digress.

Well, until the end of the year we have 7 weeks, how much do we need to get done each week? And to the people afraid this will turn into a job: well, it kinda is rocket science (space science?). It is going to feel like a job, except our stakes aren't so high to actually be one. Again, it will "feel" like one. Especially to the people who are going to actually build/launch/operate the cubesat. Taking this lightly will only going to be a gargantuan waste of time and money. Am I the only one who feels this way?

[Nicholander]

I agree, this definitely isn't something to take lightly.

[henryrasia]

Also, it's 4 weeks until the conference here. So if we're going to sign up to attend we'll need a general design with capabilities and objectives (maybe even mission and logistics plan) as the conference is serious and everyone there mean business. Also, it's quite pricey so I couldn't br going there just to fool around, I need questions to ask, things to look out for and to note down, and things to talk about and self-advocate. Honestly, we need to be a LOT more aggressive in what comes to promotional campaigning. If someone would do a decent "mission patch" for a forum avatar or "agency" flag/symbol to put in the forums signature with a link to this thread I'd go around shamelessly spamming every single thread with this. I mean, if youtubers were to promote us that'd be a huge leg up for us (HOCgaming did a series on KSP artificial gravity, for example). But we do need SOMETHING to show for ourselves.

PS. We're all talking about a rocket launch, but take a look at this: non-rocket space launch systems. Also, so I'm not biased: rocket launch systems

Edited November 9, 2014 by henryrasia
added PS

[Nicholander]

Here's a question to ask: Would the CubeSat be stable enough if it was spinning at the rate it would need for Mars gravity? And I think someone should ask Rareden to make us some stuff, mission patch, something to put in our signatures, etc.

[K^2]

Stability is simply a question of aligning axis of rotation with one of principle axes of the satellite. That will be part of the design process, and part of the reason I want a working simulation.

I'm more worried about being able to correct for any developing tumble with electronics. I would limit serious expectations to 1G 1m/s². Maybe Moon's gravity if you are feeling risky. And if data we get post initial spin-up suggests we can go further, we can try pushing it further. I just don't want to make it part of the firm goals.

Edited November 9, 2014 by K^2

[henryrasia]

Rareden? Never heard of him. But hey, if you message him and he's up to it lets do it!

K^2, what do you mean beyond 1G? Aren't we keeping it to 0.16g (moon) and 0.38g (Mars) precisely because it's never been done before and it's results would be relevant and interesting?

Anyways, people, seriously, let's get weekly goals, or are we not participating in the cubesat conference? Has anyone even taken a look at the page?

[K^2]

K^2, what do you mean beyond 1G?

Sorry. Brain-fried. 1m/s². I'll fix it in the post.

Just trying to keep RPM reasonable.

[LvL]

Guys, do we know what plant we're using for the experiment? Because if we do then I can buy some and start some tests really soon

[K^2]

Guys, do we know what plant we're using for the experiment? Because if we do then I can buy some and start some tests really soon

You should read this post by Mazon Del. Tl;dr is that Physcomitrella patens moss seems like the best candidate.

They are specifically engineered/selected to have certain kinds of gravitometric response. But for basic pre-flight testing, the garden variety should be fine. Unfortunately, I only see species specifically bred for testing for sale, and these might not be as cheap as we'd like to start with. I know bugger all about botany, though. This might be something you can just go into forest and find, for all I know.

[Nicholander]

This Rareden: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/25231-Rareden-s-Projects

And you say that the Lunar Gravity would be risky, K^2? (I'm presuming that's what you meant when you said "Maybe Moon's gravity if you are feeling risky") All the previous talk about this people had (Including you, I think) said that 0.16G/Lunar Gravity would be just fine, but Mars Gravity/0.38G would be a bit more difficult. (Though I think Mars Gravity will be just fine)