|
Abstract:
|
CubeSats are small satellites, known as "nanosatellites," that are used for Earth observation, scientific research, and remote sensing applications. Despite their growing popularity, CubeSat missions usually suffer from a significantly high failure rate. To address the issues encountered in CubeSats, a more rigorous verification and validation (V&V) process of the system can be adopted, using a FlatSat. A FlatSat is an electrical model of the satellite with the subsystems mounted side by side on a workbench. This approach is gaining popularity in small satellite applications due to its ability to integrate and test systems at a level that would otherwise be complex and error-prone. An example of a FlatSat platform is the one developed at SpaceLab/UFSC for testing the FloripaSat family of satellite platforms. This FlatSat was designed to be highly configurable, capable of testing and monitoring CubeSat subsystems, reading operation data, and injecting faults into communication buses. However, the FlatSat platform itself has not yet been fully tested, and no full satellite mission has been developed using it. This paper presents the initial exploration of the platform, starting with basic electrical testing and progressing to reading real data from a CubeSat subsystem. The tests are divided into three parts: (i) first, electrical and power tests are performed to validate the physical structure of the FlatSat board; (ii) then, the MicroZed is attached for initial design validation and on board sensor tests; (iii) finally, satellite's subsystems are connected to conduct temperature and current reading tests, as well as interface with a subsystem simulation application running on MicroZed. To carry out these tests, embedded Linux and the MicroZed's programmable logic are used, providing a highly reconfigurable and versatile platform for testing and data acquisition. This configuration allows for future expansion of FlatSat functionality, including more complex applications than those initially envisioned. The first part of the tests aims to create a validated and secure environment for implementing the MicroZed and satellite modules, as well as conducting their tests. These tests are designed to simulate CubeSat operational conditions, and the results aim to validate the basic use of FlatSat, paving the way for future applications. |
