+98 21 77334133
Contact Us

Author: admin

A Thesis Defense Session for MSc/Katayoon Kankia

Title: Feasibility of using supercapacitor in the design of cubesat electric power subsystem

By Katayoon Kankia
Supervisor: Dr. Mehran Mirshams
Chairmen: Dr. Ehsan Zabihian Dr. Mahdi Jafari Nadoushan (K. N. Toosi University of Technology)
September 20, 2023

Nowadays, given the appropriate performance of small satellites, there is a need to increase the storage capacity of electric power in the design and construction of these satellites by our beloved country, Iran, as payloads become more complex. This research focuses on designing and implementing a subsystem for electric power for a 1U CubeSat using supercapacitors in the energy storage section. To do so, first, statistical analysis of existing satellites and the European space standard for power subsystems will be examined, and based on this, the principles of designing and constructing the hybrid energy storage section, which includes both batteries and supercapacitors, will be explained.

The criteria for designing and selecting suitable supercapacitors as well as various circuits for use in the satellite’s electric power subsystem are based on statistical studies and analyses performed to meet the peak power demand of power-hungry equipment. The effort is to increase the advantages of this subsystem and reduce its disadvantages. The main advantages of this research are reducing the volume and charging time of the power subsystem and achieving high-power peaks.

In general, the new technology of supercapacitors increases the reliability of the satellite’s performance. Additionally, by increasing the capacity of the energy storage section, the number of solar panels and batteries reduces, affecting

the overall mass budget of the satellite.

Defense Meeting Held for Autonomous Optical Navigation of Interplanetary CubeSats

On September 12, 2023, Shahram Keshavarzi successfully defended his thesis on “Autonomous Optical Navigation of Interplanetary CubeSats” at K. N. Toosi University of Technology. The thesis, supervised by Dr. Mehran Mirshams and advised by Dr. Alireza Hoseini Arani, presents a general approach for optical tracking and navigation of spacecraft without access to ground-based distance measuring sources.

The thesis argues that the recent expansion of CubeSat satellites challenges the traditional paradigm of mission planning for space exploration, which relies on determining the Earth orbit to guide the spacecraft towards the mission objective. With the increase in the total number of spacecraft launches per year, ground tracking equipment is becoming saturated, and the overall cost of interplanetary CubeSats is decreasing compared to traditional spacecraft, except for navigation-related cases.

To address this issue, the thesis proposes an autonomous optical navigation method based on planet observations and optimization of Gauss-Newton for position determination. By employing this method, a spacecraft can determine its relative position independently, without the need for ground-based distance measuring sources. The navigation method presented in the thesis has the capability to be implemented in any equipped spacecraft.

The defense meeting was chaired by Dr. Alireza Basohbat Novinzadeh and Dr. AmirAli Nikkhah, both from K. N. Toosi University of Technology.

 Congratulations to Shahram Keshavarzi on his successful defense! 🎉🚀

APSCO CubeSat Competition (ACC) was kicked off!!

APSCO CubeSat Competition (ACC) was kicked off!!

The first online workshop has been launched by lecturers from Iran, China and Pakistan. More than 130 participants from all Member States have joined the workshop. Mehran Mirshams the head of SRL presented two lectures:

1- Attitude Determination and Control Subsystem over view and basic concepts,

2- Introduction to Orbital Mechanics.

Niki has been nominated to participate in this year’s campaign of the UN under the theme of “Celebrating Ways #YouthLead as Agents of Change for the Global Goals”

Niki has been nominated to participate in this year’s campaign of the UN under the theme of “Celebrating Ways #YouthLead as Agents of Change for the Global Goals”. She is nominated by the Space Generation Advisory Council for her contribution toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Read more

We are preparing for participation in a national tender!

We are preparing for participation in a national tender!

Tender will be offered by the Iranian Space Agency.

It’s about MicroSat’s constellation with Internet Of Things (IOT) service over Iran.

Space Research Lab. In cooperation with Space Communication Laboratory of the university are responsible for providing Technical Proposal.🤞

Spacecraft’s system design 1

Master students has finished their practical work!

Students of this lecture have been teamed up in two groups. Each team has to design, develop and test a CubeSat model.

They did it successfully!!

Niki explores the world to look for space sustainability

Niki recently had the opportunity to participate in three notable space events, which resulted in meaningful outcomes. Her journey began at the Space Resources Week and Summer Space Festival in Luxembourg, where she actively engaged in various activities. Notably, Niki attended the Space Sustainability workshop during the festival, where she gained valuable insights into the challenges and solutions related to long-term sustainability in space exploration. This experience fostered her understanding of responsible practices and further ignited her passion for promoting a sustainable future in space.

Continuing her journey, Niki traveled to Oslo to attend the Global Space Conference on Climate Change (GLOC 2023). It was at this conference that she had the opportunity to present a paper focused on increasing accessibility to space-based climate data to the public. This research was the result of her collaborative project with the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC). By sharing her findings, Niki aimed to contribute to the wider availability of vital climate data, ensuring that it reaches a broader audience and empowers collective action towards addressing environmental challenges.

The power of Hands-on Training

Peruvian specialist continues working with CubeSat Hands-on Training Package (CHTP).

George Steve Fajardo Soria and his friends participated at hands-on training work-shop which has been organized by APSCO at Shanghai University of Technology in 2019 China, before the Covid perturbation!!!!!

In the work-shop by interactive activities, participants got involved with ADCS making and test. they made a Cubesat model with one axis control and tested it on an airbearing stand.

Now they use their knowledge and abilities to develop their on CubeSat on the bases of that model. we are very happy with the results of this kind of educational cooperation.

Good Luck George and the Peruvian Young space Generation.

Video

Niki Sajad has an active contribution to the Space Sustainability Workshop

Space Sustainability work shop has been held by Luxembourg Space Agency at FPL. Niki Sajad from our side has an active contribution to the workshop.

Happy Nowruz

Happy Nowrouz, Wishing you a new yearfield with health, prosperity, joy and contentment.