1. Launch and Operations Lessons Learned
AubieSat-1
Launch and Operations
Lessons Learned

2. AubieSat-1: Flight model in space!

3. Launch on a Delta II Rocket
Vandenberg AFB, California
28 October, 2:48 AM

5. 02:21 UTC hihi de ki4nqo aubiesat 1 vb 4r23 sk
02:22 UTC hihi de ki4nqo aubiesat 1 vb 4r23 sk
02:23 UTC hihi de aubiesat 1 vb 4r23 bacon 111 sk
02:24 UTC hihi de ki4nqo aubiesat 1 vb 4r23 sk
02:25 UTC hihi de aubiesat 1 vb 4r22 bacon 111 sk
02:26 UTC hihi de ki4nqo aubiesat 1 vb 4r22 sk
02:27 UTC hihi de ki4nqo aubiesat 1 vb 4r22 sk

6. Summer 2011 Team

14. Project Characteristics
Project relies entirely on undergraduate volunteers with mostly low skills
Students turn-over rate high
Project budget very low: cannot pay students or test facilities
Very limited facilities
AS-1 entirely designed, built and tested by UGs
No COTS
No space rated materials: stuff from Radio Shack or DigiKey...
Lack of experience with satellite engineering and management

15. Fuel
Working on fumes
Enthusiasm
Optimism
Determination

16. Issues
Student turn-over => documentation outdated => much time wasted a few months before NASA MRR
Satellite transmissions very weak
Satellite does not obey commands from ground
Satellite does not transmit in sunlight

17. Building Fever
Chief Engineer gets job in May before engineering model finished
Building ahead of documentation – CM forgotten
New team in May gets docs out of date
Reverse engineering => waste of time!
Initial MRR in June: impossible to be ready
Lucky: MRR rescheduled for end of July!

18. Lesson Learned Dropping process to finish building is a waste of time
Following Configuration Management Plan is paramount

19. Antennae Not Deployed
Three levels of transmission power depending on temperature
Calculation => lowest level cannot account for power measured on ground => transmission antenna not deployed
GS commands at 100-W not sufficient to be “heard” by satellite => receiving antenna not deployed

20. Risk Analysis and Mitigation
Antennae stowed inside satellite are high risk
Other CubeSats do not use stowed antennae
Risk analysis and mitigation strategies not performed properly.
Antennae deployment testing results embellished. Students cover for each other
Last antennae coiling before closing up satellite not documented
Failure of leadership and SE

21. Lesson Learned
Risk analysis and mitigation strategies need to be done properly
CDR should have required a redesign!
Leadership needs to stop bad design and order a redesign on time!

22. More About Antenna Deployment
The fact that both antennae did not deploy points to another failure possibility: software!
Software had two modes:
Space mode
Lab mode
In lab mode the satellite comes up without deploying antennae
Pressed for time: No Operational Readiness Review before shipping satellite for launch!
Non-deployment could be a software issue

23. Lesson Learned
No shipment of satellite without a thorough Operational Readiness Review!
Full controlled test of software before shipping by people other than software engineer

24. Thermal Issues Satellite only heard at night
Micro-controller shuts transmitter down if temp higher than 60˚C
No proper thermal analysis performed
No proper set-up for thermal testing

25. Lesson Learned Thermal analysis is a key element of satellite design
No launch without proper thermal testing

26. Overall Lessons Learned
Shoe-string budgets are high risk
Higher budgets would have allowed for paying students to do work => more time on project; more control over process
Following process is paramount!
Risk Plan
CM Plan
Importance of Reviews and Decision Making
Test Procedures
Implementing Plans: Project Control