This final report describes the efforts accomplished during the grants period of performance, covering the period of 15 March 2001 to 14 March 2004, of an unsolicited NASA proposal entitled 'Constellation Pathfinder Technology Development.' We have completed the goals set forth in the proposed research objectives. An overview of these studies is summarized. For all upcoming nanosatellite space physics missions, a magnetometer will be part of any scientific payload. For the purposes of this prototyping study, we chose a digital magnetometer as the strawman payload of Constellation Pathfinder (CP). In our original CP design, the magnetometer was affixed to a rigid boom in order to place it far enough away from sources of magnetic clutter produced by the spacecraft electronics and solar panels. As we anticipate launching many of these in a single launch the overall mechanical design is driven by packaging concerns and thermal constraints. Several nanosatellites are envisioned to rest on a single ejection post, hence the need for a hole at the spacecraft's center of gravity. Encapsulated springs provide the axial thrust needed to sequentially separate the individual spacecraft from a mother ship; these springs also provide the secondary benefits of nutation damping. Thermal control coatings and good thermal design are important considerations with this craft which has a much larger surface-area-to-volume ratio than traditional spacecraft and which must tolerate moderately long eclipses.


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    Title :

    Constellation Pathfinder Technology Development


    Publication date :

    2004


    Size :

    8 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English





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