Phase D for Fly Your Satellite! third-cycle kicks off with online workshop

Phase D is the verification and screening phase of Fly Your Satellite! It sees the participating college groups assemble, then integrate and confirm the types of their CubeSats. The intention of this workshop was to prepare the groups for the future Stage D milestones, encouraging most effective tactics, and transferring know-how from the ESA industry experts to the college students.

Provided this workshop’s on the internet character, the 7 days began with a quiz to stimulate college students from unique teams to mingle and interact, boosting important social elements. Then, it was above to a series of ESA industry experts to give lectures about Stage D. The subjects coated were:

• Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), which is the conversation involving components and models in the electromagnetic spectrum. The teams will require to confirm compatibility in get to minimise the threat of cross-communicate or interference concerning parts of their CubeSat. 
• Assembly, Integration and Purposeful Tests, which gave the students a extensive overview of how to assemble their CubeSat, combine all the factors, and validate their operation, in purchase to guarantee that their resulting CubeSat will be absolutely practical.
• Vibration screening, which well prepared the college students for verification of the structural style and design of their CubeSat. Concentration was supplied to the launch natural environment, which will set significant tension on the CubeSat as the launch car or truck accelerates it toward orbit.
• Thermal screening, which coated verification of the thermal structure of the CubeSat and how to perform thermal screening. 

• Solution Assurance, which dealt with how the teams should deal with any difficulties, hazards, or non-conformances that could come up in the course of the screening phase. Matters incorporated documentation and Root Cause Assessment (RCA).
• Ground station, which confirmed the groups how to established up and confirm the floor station that will communicate with their CubeSat after in orbit. Distinct techniques to parts were being talked about, along with antennas and other floor station equipment, and how to verify the floor station utilizing unique techniques these types of as conclusion-to-stop exams.
• Operations, which went over how groups really should work their satellite the moment it is in orbit, with strategies for executing telecommands and how to make certain that the CubeSat stays operable all over the mission.
• Software program, which set out to introduce verification and validation of software package to the students, which methods to use, and how to make sure that the software on the CubeSat is formulated with superior specifications, these as working with traceability, reviews, and different approaches for tests. 
• ESA’s CubeSat Help Facility (CSF) in Redu, Belgium, and how the groups can execute subsystem and environmental screening of their CubeSat and its elements. The groups also been given advice on how they ought to prepare for testing strategies and what form of equipment is offered to them at the CSF, these types of as a 20 kN electrodynamic shaker, and a thermal vacuum chamber.

All through the workshop, each and every of the three teams gave a presentation about the latest standing of their CubeSat style and improvement. They ended up asked to openly talk about the challenges they had to triumph over, encouraging a collaborative natural environment exactly where users of other groups could offer their inputs and recommendations.

The workshop learners are now in a a great deal stronger position to deal with the rest of Stage D. This will see them producing and testing subsystems, assembling and screening their CubeSats, and eventually undergoing a Flight Acceptance Assessment. Upon thriving completion of Period D, the CubeSats will be declared prepared for launch!

For all the newest Fly Your Satellite! information, be certain to visit https://www.esa.int/Instruction/CubeSats_-_Fly_Your_Satellite