You have $1000-400. Now build a CubeSAT.

[NASAFanboy]

Hello. As of recently, I've been working on a school space program and have placed a satellite as our first prority. Due to a massively limited budget from what we have by contributions from myself and the club members. We're aiming for a tiny satellite, like a sprite satellite from KickSAT but only larger (and more expensive with a unit cost of 400$ instead of 25$). Is there any insight as to the equipment used by the sprite satellites and as to designing the cheapest satellite possible?

It needs to be able to remain powered for some time and atleast transmit a few letters.

[Kryten]

If it's not to an existing standard, it will not get launched; integration of a new design costs quite a bit more than $400.

[NASAFanboy]

If it's not to an existing standard, it will not get launched; integration of a new design costs quite a bit more than $400.

It is very similar to a existing design - the entire design is a upscaled "sprite" satellite that is almost identical in every form but has a more capable broadcast power/metal casing. We may be using a a cubesat frame, but it will probably be of lesser quality with cheap matierals. We are testing the designs prior to launch.

Even so, it may end up costing well over 400$, but the most we can afford is a measly 1,200 dollars. Checking on suppliers for cubesat kits and matieral, this could be enough. Better than our earlier "tin can satellite" proposal.

Edited September 9, 2014 by NASAFanboy

[Sky_walker]

Read this: http://www.pocketqubeshop.com/pages/how-much-does-a-pocketqube-cost

After that, read this: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/05/06/25_satellite_swarm_looks_like_going_down_in_flames/

And if you want to build a sprite sat - first find someone who can launch it, cause it's so unconventional type of a satellite that I wouldn't be surprised if you'd fail finding anyone even to consider taking it, not to mention actually cooperating with you to deploy it (I guess it'd need to be taken as a cargo onboard cube sat, or something similar... no idea really, as said: it's very unconventional payload).

Edited September 9, 2014 by Sky_walker

[NASAFanboy]

Read this: http://www.pocketqubeshop.com/pages/how-much-does-a-pocketqube-cost

After that, read this: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/05/06/25_satellite_swarm_looks_like_going_down_in_flames/

And if you want to build a sprite sat - first find someone who can launch it, cause it's so unconventional type of a satellite that I wouldn't be surprised if you'd fail finding anyone even to consider taking it, not to mention actually cooperating with you to deploy it (I guess it'd need to be taken as a cargo onboard cube sat, or something similar... no idea really, as said: it's very unconventional payload).

Thanks. I'll place some orders for structures and such from PocketQube, but the electronics and equipment would have to be mostly improvised and off the shelf.

[Kryten]

It is very similar to a existing design - the entire design is a upscaled "sprite" satellite that is almost identical in every form but has a more capable broadcast power/metal casing. We may be using a a cubesat frame, but it will probably be of lesser quality with cheap matierals. We are testing the designs prior to launch.

The scale is the problem, not the design. An 'upscaled kicksat' would require a custom deployment system and a custom analysis of it's effect on the flight-none of these things are cheap.

[NASAFanboy]

The scale is the problem, not the design. An 'upscaled kicksat' would require a custom deployment system and a custom analysis of it's effect on the flight-none of these things are cheap.

Which is why I finally decided to contribute a further 400$ to the project. How much does deployment equipment usually cost?

[Kryten]

Of a new design? You're looking at tens of thousands of dollars for all the integration work, at least; this is the reason the cubesat standard and others like it exist in the first place.

EDIT: Welcome to IRL spaceflight; for larger sats, systems integration costs are about as high as those for the launch vehicle itself. If you want something smaller than a 1U, the only smaller standard on the market is pocketqube; 5X5X5cm, no more than 180g. Anything smaller than that and you'd have to be carried aloft by something using the pocketqube or cubesat standard rather than directly, and that'd have to be arranged with whoever's building the main sat. Be aware the only provider of free nano/picosat launches, NASA's ELANA program, only sends up cubesats as far as I'm aware.

Edited September 10, 2014 by Kryten

[NASAFanboy]

@Kry.

So the best option to minimize costs would be to stick with the PocketQube's basic hardware, then apply for NASA's ELANA program?

EDIT: also, how well does plastic fare in space? We have plastic components on some scientific equipment.

Edited September 10, 2014 by NASAFanboy

[Kryten]

@Kry.

So the best option to minimize costs would be to stick with the PocketQube's basic hardware, then apply for NASA's ELANA program?

As I said, I don't know if ELANA supports launches for anything smaller than a 1U cubesat.

EDIT: also, how well does plastic fare in space? We have plastic components on some scientific equipment.

In general, badly. You get outgassing and deterioration from the UV.

[NASAFanboy]

In general, badly. You get outgassing and deterioration from the UV.

Ouch. Is there ways to prevent or atleast minimize it (Metal framining, temperature control)? Also, would plastic produced from a 3d printer be any different?

[Kryten]

There will be specialised plastics available, but 3D printing won't help you. Don't put it near anything that might be effected by outgassing, (e.g. cameras), keep it out of sunlight, keep in pressurised environment if at all possible.

[NASAFanboy]

The equipment/most of the structure uses Polyvinylidene reinforced by aluminum. Checking the wiki article on matierals in a vacuum, it seems that we should be OK. Any thoughts?

[Kryten]

You'll want to ask somebody who actually knows what they're doing. I recommend getting in touch with ELaNa and finding the actual requirements they have ASAP.