2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

CanSat 1999-2007 Suborbital

experiment
1999-2006

CANSAT Activities in Japan

- Road to Satellite Development -
Shinichi Nakasuka
University of Tokyo

5 Nano-Sats
on-orbit now
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
■Objectives of University Micro/Nano/PicoSat
Projects and CanSat

■Strong Trend towards University Satellite

Development all over the World:
• Micro(<50kg) , Nano(<10kg), Pico(<1kg)
• Provide excellent material for space engineering
education through experiencing one whole project cycle
• Expected to open new ways of space development and
utilization with its low cost and short development time
■CANSAT provides 1st Step Training for Satellite
Development, Management and Operations
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Contents

■Birth and History of CanSat Program

• ARLISS
• Comeback Competition
• Japanese Domestic Experimental Events
• Example of Experiments
• Outreach Program Using CanSat
■Introduction of UNISEC as Coordinator
■Follow-on Real Space Projects in Japan
■Significance of CanSat Program
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

What is the CanSat Program ?

Initial Concept of CanSats Program
（Cont.）
(Proposed in USSS 1998 by Prof. Twiggs)

Each participating university will develop one CANSAT

(http://www.ae.utexas.edu/~cansat/)
and launch them altogether

GEKKA-BIJIN
 2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
Birth of ARLISS (A Rocket Launch for
International Student Satellites) in April, 1999
■AEROPAC Amateur
Rocket group
■1 stage solid motor
■Lift 1.8 kg to 4 km
3m
■Three 350ml sized
cans or one “Large
sized can”
■Cost < $400 for one
flight
 2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
ARLISS

４ｋｍ altitude CAN SAT deployment

nosecone
carrier
15-
20minutes
launch descent

Rocket Launch and Separation

Scenario
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

Black Rock
Desert
NEVADA
USA
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

CanSats since 1999

2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Typical Configuration of CanSat

Command Command
Motor Rx Tx

Nichrom Digital data

TNC
Current
•Actuator status OBC •Communication

Analog data
Time/status/ Multiplexer
sensor
ROM reading
S1 S2 S3 S4 S5
Solar cell, voltage,
•Onboard memory •C&DH •Sensor gyro

+ Experiment Small, but still “a Satellite” !!

Subsystem
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Size of CANSAT for ARLISS

■350ml Juice-Can size < 350g

■Open Class < 1050 g

3 CANSATs can be launched

together

φ146mm ×
240mm height
 2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■ARLISS Suborbital Launch Experiment

Japan-US Joint experiment has been coordinated annually

■Rockets are provided by amateur rocket group
■CanSats are released at 4km altitude on
Nevada desert
■ ARLISS 1999：Sept. 11
• Univ.of Tokyo, Titech, Arizona State, etc.
■ ARLISS 2000: July 28-29 (Japan:4, USA:3)
■ ARLISS 2001: August 24-25 (Japan:5, USA:2)
• 1st Come-back competition
■ ARLISS 2002: August 2-3 (Japan:6, USA:3)
■ ARLISS 2003: Sept.26-27 (Japan:6, USA:3)
■ ARLISS 2004: Sept.24-25 (Japan:6, USA:3)
■ ARLISS 2005: Sept.21-23 (Japan:7, USA:3)
■ ARLISS 2006 Sept 20-22 (Japan:8 USA:3 Europe:1)
 2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Univ. Tokyo CanSat #001 (1999)

■ Experiment of whole satellite

functions in 350 ml can size
• On board CPU using PIC
• Reaction Wheel
• Launch-lock by Nylon/Nicrom
• Solar Cell/Battery Charge
• Attitude Motion Sensing by Gyro
• RF Communication (downlink)
• On-board EEPROM
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Very Simple CanSat #2 (1999)

Parachute & Battery

CPU Sensors

350ml Juice Can

TNC Transmitter
Antenna
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

Mobile Ground Station (for ARLISS Project)

Transcever
Cross Yagi Antenna Note PC
·with TNC
·Frequency : 144MHz
·144/430MHz dual band
·Gain : 8dBi
☆TNC
·length : 87cm
AX.25
·weight : 530g
1200 / 9600bps
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

Loading to
inside of
rocket
nose-corn
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Example of Results: Dynamics Data

■All the functions worked well

■Data acquisition

Solar Cell Output

Rotational Motion by Gyro
Power (3 surfaces)
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Picture From the Sky

2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■DGPS Experiment (2000)

○GPS measurement and

downlink
○Differential GPS
experiment by crosslink
between three CanSats

（Collaboration
with Titech）
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

Landing/Stand-up Experiment (2000)

Expand landing legs like this

triggered by barometer data!!
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

Example of Failure (2000)

Parachute part and body was separated

by the shock of the deployment of the parachute
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
Come-Back Competition

ARLISS2002
Since 2001
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
Come-Back Competition 2002

Participating Universities 2002

Univ. of Tokyo Kyushu Univ. Nihon Univ.

45 m result
Tokyo Institute
Tohoku Univ. of Technology Stanford Univ.

ROVER

Open Class (1050g)

2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■ARLISS 2006

Fly-back Teams: 8
Rover Teams: 5
Non-comeback: 3
Total: 16 3rd Aoyama-Gakuin “Ican FLY” 2250m

1st Tohoku Univ. “Koriki” 6m 2nd Tohoku Univ. “Yashago” 44m

2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

Target

6m
Rover
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■History of Fly-back vs Rover

3000 No Control

2500
Minimum Distance(m)

2000
Flyback
1500
Rover
1000

500
6 m by Rover
0
2000 2002 2004 2006
45 m by Flyback Year
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■CANSAT Activities in Japan: Overview

■ARLISS: Rocket launch held in Nevada, USA

• 9th in 2007: Annually since 1999. (8 years)
• Comeback competition started in 2001.
■Domestic Comeback Competitions (6 times)
• 2002 (1) Itakura Competition (Gunma Prefecture)
• 2003 (2) Itakura Competition
• 2004 (3) Fukuoka Competition
• 2005 (4) Noshiro Space Event, (5) IAC Fukuoka
• 2006 (6) Noshiro Space Event
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

Domestic Competition
2002～

Itakura Competition
2002 ＆ 2003
 2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

Helium Balloon
(φ2.4 ｍ）

Release
CanSat
Mechanism
Tether
(Fishing with Timer
Carrier
wire) CanSat

IAC Fukuoka Height 100

2005 ～150m

100～150 m

Reel
Mechanism

CanSat with Helium Balloon

2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■“Noshiro Space Event” in August

■1st: 8/10/2005: 12 teams in comeback competition

• Best result: fly-back: 47 m / rover: -
■2nd: 8/19/2006: 21 teams in comeback competition
• Best result: fly-back: 80 m / rover: 28cm
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Rocket Launch in Noshiro Event

■Hybrid rocket launch experiments performed

■Some rockets lifted CanSat up till about 500 m
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
■CANSAT is managed by UNISEC
(UNIversity Space Engineering Consortium)

■Founded in 2002, became NPO in 2003

■41 laboratories from 32 universities: >300 students
■About 80 individual and company members
■Mission
• Education and human resource training for space
development/utilization
• Technology development for nano-satellites and hybrid
rockets
• Outreach to general public and younger generation by
students http://www.unisec.jp
 2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Tasks of UNISEC

■Tasks
• Fund raising and distribution to member teams
• Arrange usage of agency/companies test facilities
• Arrange technological support from agency/companies
• Coordinate experiments such as CANSAT, etc.
• Arrange information exchange, workshop
• Help multi-university joint development of equipment,
joint purchase of parts/equipment or other collaboration
• Tackle together political problems such as frequency
allocation, export/import of satellites/subsystems, etc.
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Outreach/Education with CANSAT

■JST-funded program for outreach and education

to general public, high school students (‘06-07)
• 4 high schools in Yokohama area
• Collaboration with Waseda-juku Prep.School
• Outreach to general public (in several events)
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■CANSAT KIT on Sale !

Top board Functions:

Main board with H8 CPU
- CPU
- 3 axis
Accelerometers
- Uplink/downlink
- Sample Software
- I/F to other
Bottom board Communication board (MU-1) sensors/actuators
http://www.qoo-an.com/
2001 University of Tokyo
CUBESAT Project

Next Step: To Space !

- Real Orbital Project -

CubeSat and Nano-satellite

Projects since 2000
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

University of Tokyo’s CubeSat Project “XI”

XI-IV Launched in 2003.6 XI-V Launched in 2005.10

2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Launch

2003/06/30 18:15:26 (Plesetsk time)

CubeSat XI-IV Launched to the Space !!
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project
Earth Images Taken by CubeSat XI-IV(2003-2006)
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

University of Tokyo’s Follow-on Projects

2003 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

30 m Ground Resolution

Space Science
PRISM(Remote
CubeSat XI-IV Multi-purpose
sensing) ‘08
’03/6

4 km Ground NANO-
Resolution JASMINE(Astrometry
Satellite） ’08-‘09
CubeSat XI-V ‘05/10
(Sister-Sat with XI-IV to be PETSAT(Panel
launched with SSETI- Satellite) ’08-‘09
EXPRESS)

Development Launch
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Nano-sat developed by UNISEC Univ. (1)

■Tokyo Institute of Technology: Cute-1.7 and Separation System

Sub-payloads of M-V Rocket launched in
2005 and 2006

Cute-1.7 + APD Separation System

(10*10*20cm3) for Nano-satellite
 2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Nano-sat developed by UNISEC Univ.(2)

Kagawa Univ.
STARS-1

＜Under Development＞
Nihon University
CubeSat ”SEEDS” Tohoku Univ. SPROUT
2006.7 DNEPR failure Metropolitan College
2007.6 India PSLV launch CubeSat
Soka Univ. CubeSat
Hokkaido Univ/HIT ”HITSAT”
2006.9 Launched by M-V Kyushu Univ. QSAT
12cm cubic, 2.7kg
HIT Hyper-spectral
Camera Sat.
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

■Significance of CanSat Experiment

■Very Short Period Required for One Whole Project

• 5-6 months for mission conceptualization, satellite design,
fabrication, ground test, modification, launch and operation
• Launch date is fixed in ARLISS: no delay is allowed
■Very Low Life Cycle Cost for One Project
• $1,000 budget for one team
• Helium balloon test requires $150 and Rocket launch requires
$400, etc.
■Small, but Still Can be “a Satellite”
• All the satellite functions + mission can be packed
■CanSat will be retrieved after experiment
• Analysis of the causes of failures is easy
■Possibility of Sponsorship from Juice or cola company
2001 University of Tokyo CUBESAT Project

CANSAT
■Excellent materials for the 1st step training for
nano-satellite development
■Providing training for engineering skills, satel-
lite development as well as project management

ARLISS 2006 Participants

ARLISS 2007: September 12-14 (Wed-Fri)

15 (Sat): presentation at Bruno's
2001 University of Tokyo
CUBESAT Project

Intelligent Space Systems Laboratory

(Nakasuka Laboratory)
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
University of Tokyo
http://www.space.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp

UNISEC
(University Space Engineering Consortium)
http://www.unisec.jp