SKOLTECH-B2 Spacecraft

Development of long-range inter-satellite communication technology, monitoring of cosmic radiation and gamma-ray bursts.

16 different satellite missions within the framework of the Space-PI project with the participation of students and schoolchildren.

The main task of the satellites is to develop the technology of inter-satellite communication over a long distance. During the mission, software will be tested, with the help of which it is possible to interact with vehicles in orbit to perform joint actions.

Satellites also register gamma-ray flashes using DECOR-2 (Cosmic Radiation Detector), which was manufactured at the Institute of Nuclear Physics of Moscow State University (NIYaF MSU). 

The attitude determination of the in orbit Skoltech CubeSats is successfully carried out. The attitude estimation is achieved via EKF and is controlled through the magnetic PD controller. The results show that for the precise attitude estimation, the incorporation of sensor error sources is necessary. Estimation of the sensor bias improves the readings, since the sensor now closely resembles to what it would behave under actual environment.

The estimation of the residual dipole in the system and then its incorporation in the rotational and filter dynamics depicts how the major disturbance source disrupts a satellite in LEO. The disturbance rejection applied to the controller provides a way to control attitude more accurately, despite the high magnitude magnetic disturbances. The final ADCS results, show an adequate estimation and control achieved within a reasonable time and with adequate accuracy. The results of the numerical experimentation on the designed ADCS, provide a basis for the design of the new CubeSat mission by providing requirements for various subsystems.

As a future work, the incorporation of temperature dependent bias models and various other attitude sensors, like sun sensors or star tracks, can be done to enhance the control accuracy. To improve the EKF performance, proper methodology can be devised to tune the covariance matrices so that the singularity can be avoided

• PLATFORM - Sputnix

• CUBESX-HSE-2
• Geoscan-Edelveis
• KAI-1
• Polytech-Universe-1
• Polytech-Universe-2
• SKOLTECH-B1
• SKOLTECH-B2
• SXC3-21 UTMN
• SXC3-212 MONITOR-1
• SXC3-214 MIET-AIS
• SXC3-215 VIZARD
• SXC3-217 SIREN
• SXC3-218 KUZBASS-300
• SXC3-219 ISOI
• SXC3-2110 CYCLOPS
• SXC3-2111 RESHUCUBE