René Laufer 1, Scott Madry 2 1 Associate Research Professor, CASPER, Baylor University / Co-Chair, IAA Permanent Committee on Small Satellite Missions 2 Executive Director, Global Space Institute (GSI) / Research Associate Professor, University of North Caroline, Chapel Hill Small Satellite Challenges Around The World

Laufer, Madry: Small Satellite Challenges Around The World Small Satellites: A Success Story 1 st small satellite: UoSat-1, University of Surrey, UK, 1981 (or: Sputnik 1, USSR, 1957 – with 84 kg a micro satellite ) Enabled wider access to space and its applications Small satellite categories (e.g. proposed by IAA in the 1990s): mini satellites: up to 500 kg, micro satellites: up to 100 kg, nano satellites: up to 10 kg, pico satellites: up to 1 kg, femto satellites: up to 0.1 kg A proven tool in education and workforce development, engineering (e.g. technology demonstration), science (e.g. Earth observation) and business – at affordable cost and risk. 2 UoSat-1, 52 kg (1981) CanX-1, 1 kg (2003)

Small Satellites: Some Key Features Laufer, Madry: Small Satellite Challenges Around The World 3 Small spacecraft mass, low space segment cost and short development time create low barriers to market entry – ground segment (investment) cost might be significant higher. More complex missions in any class increase cost and time. Nevertheless: the cost/time ratio creates a small satellite paradigm enabling new types of missions. Image Source: R. Sandau, K. Briess, and M. D'Errico, “Small satellites for global coverage: Potential and limits,” ISPRS J PHOTOGRAMM, vol. 65, no. 6, pp. 492–504, Oct. 2010, doi: /j.isprsjprs

Distributed Small Satellite Systems (Swarms, Constellations, Formations) are reality.Distributed Small Satellite Systems (Swarms, Constellations, Formations) are reality. Federated and Fractionated Small Satellite Systems are the next logical step.Federated and Fractionated Small Satellite Systems are the next logical step. Some challenges: Global ground resource sharing, shared on-board resource utilization, global frequency allocation, middleware distributionSome challenges: Global ground resource sharing, shared on-board resource utilization, global frequency allocation, middleware distribution Example: Massive Small Satellite Missions Laufer, Madry: Small Satellite Challenges Around The World 4 Image Source: Wired.com

Laufer, Madry: Small Satellite Challenges Around The World 5 Low cost, short duration development enables the willingness to perform very short duration or high risk missionsLow cost, short duration development enables the willingness to perform very short duration or high risk missions Short duration and/or high risk small satellite missions: atmospheric entry/sample return, space debris removal, very low altitude orbitsShort duration and/or high risk small satellite missions: atmospheric entry/sample return, space debris removal, very low altitude orbits Some challenges: Global ground resource sharing, global frequency allocation, space debris risk, atmospheric entry areas and landing sitesSome challenges: Global ground resource sharing, global frequency allocation, space debris risk, atmospheric entry areas and landing sites Example: Short Duration/High Risk Mission Image Source: CAPE - Univ. Stuttgart/Ksat Stuttgart

Laufer, Madry: Small Satellite Challenges Around The World 6 Missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) – high Earth orbit or interplanetary missions to cis-/trans-lunar space, small bodies, planets, moons or deep spaceMissions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) – high Earth orbit or interplanetary missions to cis-/trans-lunar space, small bodies, planets, moons or deep space Low cost/low mass design offer “do-one-thing-well” (one payload per spacecraft) type of piggy-back add-on missions carried by larger probesLow cost/low mass design offer “do-one-thing-well” (one payload per spacecraft) type of piggy-back add-on missions carried by larger probes Some challenges: Global ground resource sharing, space debris, global frequency allocationSome challenges: Global ground resource sharing, space debris, global frequency allocation Example: Missions beyond Low Earth Orbit Image Source: INSPIRE – NASA/JPL

Thank you for your attention! contact: –Rene Laufer: –Scott Madry: Laufer, Madry: Small Satellite Challenges Around The World 7