Satellite

3-Axis Reaction Wheel System for CubeSats

The goal of this project is to create a functional 3-Axis reaction wheel system for CubeSats through Cal Poly CubeSat Lab based off of preliminary design and research done by a previous Cal Poly masters student. A CubeSat is a very small satellite, around the size of a loaf of bread, that is developed and launched into space for education, research, or scientific purposes. A reaction wheel is a critical component of attitude (or orientation) control of a satellite that consists of a flywheel attached to a motor. When spun, the reaction wheel imparts a change in momentum (or impulse) on the satellite in order to adjust the satellite’s attitude in all three axes of orientation.

Miniaturized Ultraviolet Imager (MUVI) Instrument Frame

MUVI is a continuation senior project sponsored by the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory. MUVI Phase III is the third Cal Poly senior project group to contribute to the project. The objective of MUVI Phase III was to design and test the instrumentation frame that would align and house the optical instruments critical to the mission. MUVI Phase III was not the conclusion of the project, but many significant design milestones were accomplished. Once complete, MUVI will be launched into outer space to capture images auroras in the ionosphere to help climate scientists better understand interactions between Earth and space weather.

Vibration Isolation System

The Vibration Isolation System Senior Project is a collaborative group project between its
sponsor, Maxar Technologies, and a team of students to effectively design, manufacture, and test
a structural assembly for satellites that is capable of isolating vibrations during launch and orbit conditions.