Developing a Power Modelling Tool for CubeSats

Tom Etchells; Lucy Berthoud

Developing a Power Modelling Tool for CubeSats

Tom Etchells^*
, Lucy Berthoud

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to conference › Conference Paper

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Abstract

This paper details the development of a MATLAB and GMAT based power modelling tool for analyzing CubeSat solar power generation. The power model is designed to allow satellite orbit customization, along with a range of attitudes and solar panel configurations, including deployable panels. A graphical user interface was developed to facilitate this customization, with real time representations of both the attitude and geometry being defined by the user. Direct user input to the model can also be used for more complex attitudes or solar panel configurations.

The model has been successfully validated against Thales Alenia Space's “Power Sim” power modelling tool. Future work will include further validation against AGI STK’s Solar Panel tool and against real data from CubeSats, or other simple satellites. It is hoped that this freely available tool, hosted on GitHub (https:/github.com/tom-etchells/PowerCubeSat), will prove useful and timesaving for new CubeSat developers.

Original language	English
Number of pages	9
Publication status	Published - 8 Aug 2019
Event	Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites - Logan, Utah, United States, Logan, United States Duration: 3 Aug 2019 → 8 Aug 2019 Conference number: 33

Conference

Conference	Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites
Abbreviated title	SSC 2019
Country/Territory	United States
City	Logan
Period	3/08/19 → 8/08/19

Keywords

CubeSat
Power Model

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title = "Developing a Power Modelling Tool for CubeSats",

abstract = "This paper details the development of a MATLAB and GMAT based power modelling tool for analyzing CubeSat solar power generation. The power model is designed to allow satellite orbit customization, along with a range of attitudes and solar panel configurations, including deployable panels. A graphical user interface was developed to facilitate this customization, with real time representations of both the attitude and geometry being defined by the user. Direct user input to the model can also be used for more complex attitudes or solar panel configurations. The model has been successfully validated against Thales Alenia Space's “Power Sim” power modelling tool. Future work will include further validation against AGI STK{\textquoteright}s Solar Panel tool and against real data from CubeSats, or other simple satellites. It is hoped that this freely available tool, hosted on GitHub (https:/github.com/tom-etchells/PowerCubeSat), will prove useful and timesaving for new CubeSat developers.",

keywords = "CubeSat, Power Model",

author = "Tom Etchells and Lucy Berthoud",

year = "2019",

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language = "English",

note = "Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites, SSC 2019 ; Conference date: 03-08-2019 Through 08-08-2019",

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TY - CONF

T1 - Developing a Power Modelling Tool for CubeSats

AU - Etchells, Tom

AU - Berthoud, Lucy

N1 - Conference code: 33

PY - 2019/8/8

Y1 - 2019/8/8

N2 - This paper details the development of a MATLAB and GMAT based power modelling tool for analyzing CubeSat solar power generation. The power model is designed to allow satellite orbit customization, along with a range of attitudes and solar panel configurations, including deployable panels. A graphical user interface was developed to facilitate this customization, with real time representations of both the attitude and geometry being defined by the user. Direct user input to the model can also be used for more complex attitudes or solar panel configurations. The model has been successfully validated against Thales Alenia Space's “Power Sim” power modelling tool. Future work will include further validation against AGI STK’s Solar Panel tool and against real data from CubeSats, or other simple satellites. It is hoped that this freely available tool, hosted on GitHub (https:/github.com/tom-etchells/PowerCubeSat), will prove useful and timesaving for new CubeSat developers.

AB - This paper details the development of a MATLAB and GMAT based power modelling tool for analyzing CubeSat solar power generation. The power model is designed to allow satellite orbit customization, along with a range of attitudes and solar panel configurations, including deployable panels. A graphical user interface was developed to facilitate this customization, with real time representations of both the attitude and geometry being defined by the user. Direct user input to the model can also be used for more complex attitudes or solar panel configurations. The model has been successfully validated against Thales Alenia Space's “Power Sim” power modelling tool. Future work will include further validation against AGI STK’s Solar Panel tool and against real data from CubeSats, or other simple satellites. It is hoped that this freely available tool, hosted on GitHub (https:/github.com/tom-etchells/PowerCubeSat), will prove useful and timesaving for new CubeSat developers.

KW - CubeSat

KW - Power Model

UR - https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/smallsat/2019/all2019/37/

M3 - Conference Paper

T2 - Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites

Y2 - 3 August 2019 through 8 August 2019

ER -

Developing a Power Modelling Tool for CubeSats

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

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