Design Article
Case study: Designed for space
Gabor Marosy, Budapest University of Technology
4/5/2012 10:00 AM EDT
Masat-1 – the size of a milk carton
Imagine a device that is smaller and lighter than a carton of milk, works on solar energy and consumes less power than a cellular phone. It is able to send messages even from the extreme environment of outer space while traveling faster than a bullet. This is the first Hungarian satellite.
The first Hungarian micro satellite is smaller than a carton of milk and weighs in at no more than 1kg.
Masat–1 (the name comes from the words „magyar”, meaning Hungarian, and „satellite”) is a small, so called picosatellite, a 10x10x10 centimeters cube, which is allowed to be at most 1 kilogram in mass. Building the satellite is a pilot project, serving primarily educational purposes. It is also a technical experiment, the results of which will greatly help develop a more sophisticated satellite in the future. After entering orbit, it will send information to the ground stations. Small size and mass do not exempt from careful design of complicated devices on board. Designing and developing mechanics and subsystems that endure the hardships of launch and outer space pose problems equal to those of larger satellites. The scientific goals of Masat-1 are testing a semi-active magnetic stabilizing system and measuring environmental parameters, such as temperature and acceleration vectors.
The solution
Few design systems have comprehensive functions and services for the support of the requirements described above. Altium Designer is a rare exception. First and above all, it supports version control, which is of crucial importance in software and hardware development. In addition, it enables exporting into PDF and XLS formats. All these capabilities are inevitable for the proper management of design projects. As three dimensional graphics gain more and more ground, 3D modeling becomes a standard procedure. Altium Designer features such capabilities too, which make this software package a future-safe investment. Although Altium Designer comprises a wide selection of various functions, its user interface is intuitive and easy to use. Modifications can be performed simply, and the schematic and PCB libraries of a project are managed consistently and uniformly.
Next: The results
Imagine a device that is smaller and lighter than a carton of milk, works on solar energy and consumes less power than a cellular phone. It is able to send messages even from the extreme environment of outer space while traveling faster than a bullet. This is the first Hungarian satellite.
The first Hungarian micro satellite is smaller than a carton of milk and weighs in at no more than 1kg.
Masat–1 (the name comes from the words „magyar”, meaning Hungarian, and „satellite”) is a small, so called picosatellite, a 10x10x10 centimeters cube, which is allowed to be at most 1 kilogram in mass. Building the satellite is a pilot project, serving primarily educational purposes. It is also a technical experiment, the results of which will greatly help develop a more sophisticated satellite in the future. After entering orbit, it will send information to the ground stations. Small size and mass do not exempt from careful design of complicated devices on board. Designing and developing mechanics and subsystems that endure the hardships of launch and outer space pose problems equal to those of larger satellites. The scientific goals of Masat-1 are testing a semi-active magnetic stabilizing system and measuring environmental parameters, such as temperature and acceleration vectors.
Simplified block diagram of the satellite. The satellite is divided into 4 electrical subsystems and the structure:
• On-Board Computer (OBC)
• Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS)
• Electrical Power System (EPS)
• Communication System (COM)
• Structure (STRU)
• Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS)
• Electrical Power System (EPS)
• Communication System (COM)
• Structure (STRU)
The solution
Few design systems have comprehensive functions and services for the support of the requirements described above. Altium Designer is a rare exception. First and above all, it supports version control, which is of crucial importance in software and hardware development. In addition, it enables exporting into PDF and XLS formats. All these capabilities are inevitable for the proper management of design projects. As three dimensional graphics gain more and more ground, 3D modeling becomes a standard procedure. Altium Designer features such capabilities too, which make this software package a future-safe investment. Although Altium Designer comprises a wide selection of various functions, its user interface is intuitive and easy to use. Modifications can be performed simply, and the schematic and PCB libraries of a project are managed consistently and uniformly.
Despite a large choice of functions, the Altium Designer user interface is intuitive and easy to use.
Next: The results
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Dr DSP
4/21/2012 6:01 PM EDT
I would be more interested in some lessons learned instead of a list of features of the tool. This seems like a very interesting project and I'm sure the designers must have some good examples of specific savings (in schedule, in board space, testing, etc.) that they could share. For example- were there some changes to the mechanicals that resulted from the ability to do 3D models that reduces size and/or weight?
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