https://repositorio.ufsc.br/handle/123456789/259887 2026-11-08T22:46:36Z https://repositorio.ufsc.br/handle/123456789/277452 F4GSA: A Model-Based Framework for Ground Segment Architectures in Space Missions Filho, Antonio Cassiano Julio; Ferreira, Maurício Gonçalves Vieira; Ambrosio, Ana Maria The traditional process of space systems development encompasses the conception, design, and integration of both the space segment and the ground segment for each mission, following a document-centric approach. In the current space projects context, the growing number of missions and the prevailing assumption that the ground segment is a "Ready-to-Run System" present significant mission challenges. A critical issue arises from the insufficient consideration of ground segment complexities during the early phases of mission planning. Additional difficulties include the limited capacity to evaluate existing solutions and the absence of a comprehensive perspective on ground system architectures. These shortcomings often result in inefficiencies and constraints during subsequent stages of development. To address these challenges, this study introduces the Framework for the Development of Space Missions Ground Segment Architectures (F4GSA), which provides a structured methodology to improving system architecture design, enhancing interoperability, and streamline the integration of ground segment components. In essence, the framework is inspired on three principal sources: (i) the generic process descriptions and activities broadly applicable across diverse domains, as outlined in the INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook, (ii) the System Design Processes established by NASA, and (iii) the activities proposed by ARChitecture Analysis and Design Integrated Approach (ARCADIA) to support the design issues. The F4GSA incorporates Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodology, underscoring its significance and evolution in the space sector, to provide a holistic perspective on ground segment solutions, meeting the demands of single-mission and multi-mission architectures. This model-based approach improves architectural consistency, interoperability, and integration across ground segment components. The practical benefits of the framework are demonstrated through a case study of a real mission – the ground segment of the BiomeSat Mission by National Institute for Space Research (INPE), a Brazilian remote sensing satellite to support planning, monitoring and control of the health of Brazilian biomes - Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Cerrado, Pantanal and Pampa. The mission also contributes to the evaluation of degraded and deforested regions. BiomeSat is distinguished by its capacity to collect radiometric data in the visible and near-infrared spectral bands, influenced respectively by chlorophyll pigments and the cellular structure of leaf surfaces. The space mission architecture comprises a small satellite, a dedicated camera for primary objective, an Environmental Data Collector (EDC) payload for receiving data from Data Collection Platforms (DCPs) distributed nationwide, and a system dedicated to Automatic Identification of Vessels (AIS) along the Brazilian coastline and major rivers. This case study illustrates how F4GSA, in conjunction with MBSE, facilitates the balance between reuse, necessary adaptations, and flexibility, thereby supporting both single-mission and multi-mission ground segments in an evolving space ecosystem. The findings emphasize the importance of leveraging existing solutions while incorporating required adaptations, all while maintaining flexibility and dynamism in the construction of mission development models. 2026-03-17T00:00:00Z https://repositorio.ufsc.br/handle/123456789/277451 Field Evaluation of GEO NTN NB-IoT: Reliability Limits for Mission-Critical IoT Fernandes, Arthur Rodrigues; Gabriel, Fernando Rodrigues; Marcelino, Roderval; Pereira, Rodrigo Vinícius Mendonça This paper presents a performance analysis of Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) over Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) to address connectivity gaps in remote areas, addressing the documented scarcity of empirical field data for 3GPP Release 17 NTN systems. We provide an experimental characterization of a 3GPP-compliant GEO-based satellite IoT service. Using the Blues Starnote commercial platform, field trials were conducted in Southern Brazil under open-field baseline, partial obstruction, heavy rainfall, and vehicular mobility scenarios. Performance was assessed in terms of end-to-end latency and packet delivery reliability. Results show a packet delivery ratio above 90% and a median latency below 90 seconds in the baseline, obstruction, and mobility tests, whereas the rainfall test resulted in a complete outage. These results establish practical operational bounds for Release 17 NTN and provide evidence for validating simulation assumptions. Further validation is required before considering the evaluated solution for mission-critical operation due to delivery failures and high latency variability. 2026-03-17T00:00:00Z https://repositorio.ufsc.br/handle/123456789/277450 A Hardware-in-the-Loop Architecture for CubeSat ADCS Verification Using SimuCam França, Rodrigo de Marca; Fialho, Fábio de Oliveira Attitude Determination and Control Systems (ADCS) for CubeSats must be verified under realistic, closed-loop conditions before flight integration; however, test campaigns that preserve flight electrical interfaces while providing representative sensor and actuator behavior are expensive and often limited to partial coverage. This paper presents a proposal to repurpose SimuCam, an FPGA-based hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) platform already employed in the ESA PLATO and ESA EnVision missions, into a reusable HIL testbed for CubeSat ADCS. The contribution is architectural rather than experimental. The expected end-to-end system is outlined, and the hardware and software modifications required for feasibility are assessed, without reporting performance results. A central design principle is indistinguishable Input/Output (I/O). From the ADCS hardware perspective, emulated peripherals should match their flight counterparts in signaling, startup and reset behavior, configuration states, sampling latency, timing jitter bounds, and error reporting. The proposed design is structured as a layered, modular framework comprising (i) a real-time dynamics core that maintains the virtual spacecraft state, (ii) a sensor-emulation layer that transforms that state into synthetic measurements, (iii) an actuator-emulation layer that interprets ADCS commands and closes the loop by updating the state, (iv) a physical-interface layer that reproduces electrical signaling, protocol framing, device timing, and fault behaviors, and (v) a test-orchestration layer for scenario control, logging, and fault injection. To make the proposal concrete, a micro case study describes how the commercial STIM210 gyroscope could be emulated. A real-time dynamics model is intended to drive the gyroscope emulator so that it can publish angular-rate and related outputs at device-compatible rates using the same protocol, enabling the ADCS to operate as if connected to flight hardware. The paper focuses on the internal architecture and interface fidelity required to support closed-loop ADCS testing, independently of the specific spacecraft or environmental dynamics models adopted in a given test scenario, establishing a practical starting point for a reusable CubeSat ADCS HIL infrastructure based on SimuCam. 2026-03-17T00:00:00Z https://repositorio.ufsc.br/handle/123456789/277449 Development of a micro pulsed plasma thruster for CubeSat Attitude Control Aguirre, Alejandro Hernández; Ardila, Jorge; Palharini, Rodrigo Cassineli This paper presents the first steps towards the design of an optimized ablative pulsed plasma thruster for 3U CubeSats. Motivated by the need for onboard propulsion for attitude control and orbit maintenance, the proposed system leverages low-cost, commercially available off-the-shelf components to facilitate replication in academic settings. The thruster uses a parallel-plate electrode geometry with a 15–20◦ flare angle to maximize inductance variation during the discharge. Energy storage is provided by a polypropylene film capacitor bank delivering approximately 4.5 J per pulse, while a microcontroller synchronizes the charge and firing cycles. Once the micro-pulsed plasma thruster assembly is completed, experimental validation will be conducted in a vacuum chamber, using a high-sensitivity piezoelectric impulse gauge to measure impulse bit and a precision balance to quantify propellant mass consumption. The empirical results will be contrasted with magnetohydrodynamic simulations to improve the understanding of low-energy plasma physics. This development targets a thrust efficiency above 10%. 2026-03-17T00:00:00Z