WUSAT-3 CubeSat Mission

WUSAT-3 3U Platform

3U CubeSat with deployable antennae & magnetometer

WUSAT-3 CubeSat

Years of Operation: 2015 - 2022

Client: Roke Manor ResearchLink opens in a new window

Mission: 3U CubeSat carrying an RFID detector system developed by Roke. Their prototype system was designed to determine the geolocation of an RFID tag without using GPS data. This development held major potential benefits for wildlife tracking systems and related research.

Partners:

WUSAT-3 Background

Roke Manor Research became our first industrial payload client with a view to WUSAT designing a CubeSat that would provide the resources to test their proprietary RFID geolocation position estimation system.

They had already developed and tested Earth-bound systems but were interested in trialling their system in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). It was determined that an excellent application for this technology - if it could be proved viable in LEO - would be the area of wildlife tracking.

Essentially the detection of a recognised RFID signal from the Earth's surface would trigger a simultaneous capture of

an image of the Earth below the orbiting WUSAT-4
details of RFID offset on each of the four payload receiving antenna configured in a precise array format.

The above data would be time-stamped and passed to a ground station for post-processing that would estimate the geolocation of the RFID tag. Post-processing of the acquired data would be achieved via Roke's software. The collection of a series of time-stamped RFID recordings where the RFID device was an animal or bird tag would produce a tracking record over a period of time.

Potential use of this system would offer the possibility of wildlife tags being very much smaller and lighter than on many previous Space-based tracking systems where the tag had to collect GPS data and upload it to the over-passing satellite.

ESA FYS Programme

Following the successful launch of WUSAT-2 via the ESA REXUS programme, all of our work from 2015 onwards was based on the requirements of the ESA FYS Flight Programme. Depending on the requirements of the client, the intention could be to progress the design to a certain approved review level, then hand the design over to them. Or it could be to progress the design completely to flight readiness, launch and operation. In either case, each student team received an unparalleled experience of progressing design to Critical Design Review (CDR) level via Airbus, then later review stages via ESA workshops and approval panels. (See WUSAT-3 Objectives)

This video gives an excellent overview of the ESA FYS ProgrammeLink opens in a new window and the experience gained by WUSAT teams.

Mission Objectives

To complete a Space Systems Engineering driven work programme that would deliver a CubeSat design suitable for trialling Roke's RFID geolocation system in LEO.
To complete the early stage development and gain approval for the following work phases via review with expert engineer panels provided by our partner, AirbusLink opens in a new window (Defence and Space). These phases include,
- Analyse & Design Major Phase leading to a configuration modelLink opens in a new window via the following Sub-Phases,
  - Phase 0 - Payload & Mission Requirements Analysis
  - Phase A - Feasibility + Subsystem Requirements + Concept of Operation (CONOPS)
  - Phase B - Preliminary Definition - Configuration + Test & Verification Plans
- Completion of this major phase would be by approval of all designs, methodologies, simulation and test results submitted in a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) carried out in collaboration with Airbus engineers. This would include Ground SegmentLink opens in a new window requirements and the construction and test of a FlatSatLink opens in a new window model.
- Development Major Phase leading to an engineering/qualification model (i.e. a built model suitable for testing (vibration, vacuum temperature cycling, etc) to be approved,
  - Phase C - Design, Build, Test the engineering/qualification model to approved European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSSLink opens in a new window) level.
- Completion of this major phase would be by approval of all designs, methodologies, simulation and test results submitted in a Critical Design Review (CDR) carried out in collaboration with Airbus engineers. This would include Ground Segment requirements, etc.
  Attaining approval for phases up to and including Critical Design Review would bring WUSAT-3 to a level suitable for submission to ESA's Fly Your Satellite (FYS) programme if this was desired by the client. FYS work phases would in
- Production, Qualification, Launch/Operation Major Phase leading to the building of the final Flight Model via the following sub-phases,
  - Phase D - Flight Model Production & Qualification
  - Phase E - Utilisation (e.g. Launch Configuration and Operation)
  - Phase F - Disposal & End-of-Life (EOL) requirements
- Completion of this major phase would be by approval of all designs, methodologies, simulation and test results submitted to ESA approval panels in, typically, an Acceptance Review and at the end of mission an End of Life review.

(Note: The above phases and build models form a Modified Space Systems Engineering Methodology developed by WUSAT to suit the realities of student team requirements. On acceptance to the FYS programme, precise requirements for phases D, E, & F would be determined solely by ESA)

Mission Outcomes

Despite the fact that most teams on WUSAT-3 continued to have an enormous experience in working closely with Space partners, it is unfortunate that later teams were badly affected by the Covid pandemic lockdowns. We did extremely well to keep the project going when largely working remotely and having limited opportunity to do practical work.

Check the individual team subpages to this section to see just how far the mission progressed and the experience and achievement of teams involved.

Sadly, by the time things were reverting to normal in 2022 we learned that our main contact and developer of the RFID location system at client Roke Manor Research Ltd was retiring. A decision was made to mothball WUSAT-3 and move on to something new.

Specific WUSAT-3 Outcomes

All student teams gained experience of working to Space Systems Engineering principles and to ECSS standards.Link opens in a new window
Many students had the opportunity of attending ESA training programmes and workshops (see WUSAT-3 team sub-pages).
WUSAT-3 was developed beyond Preliminary Design Review Stage and introduced us to many new partners and concepts, including;
- Extending our work and contacts into wildlife/biodiversity issues and organisations in that area. (e.g. Biotrack/Lotek)Link opens in a new window
- Developing an Attitude Determination & Control System (ADCS) strategy with assistance from CubeSpaceLink opens in a new window (see WUSAT-3 tech page)
- Developing a WUSAT-3 Configuration Model and an early stage WUSAT-3 Engineering/Qualification Model.
- Presenting WUSAT-3 models and development work to an ESA Workshop and to

WUSAT-3 Individual Team Pages

These can be found via the following links;