Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Nanosatellites have been increasingly recognized as valuable tools for demonstrating new technologies in space as well as being an effective means to educate space engineering professionals due to their relatively low cost. This recognition has come alongside advances in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technologies that have boosted the capabilities of nanosatellites. In the near future, we believe that nanosatellites will also play a significant role in the areas of Earth and space science, as more capable nanosatellites are developed. In the proposed research, we investigate a series of nanosatellite technologies, namely power subsystem components, micro-thrusters and advanced star tracker algorithms, that will lead us to an Earth observation (EO) nanosatellite mission in near future. These next-generation nanosatellite technologies will be demonstrated on a low-cost CubeSat. The expertise and knowledge gained through the proposed research and technology demonstration will be transferred to our industry partner, COM DEV International Ltd. and ultimately to the Canadian space industry to expand nanosatellite capabilities for future EO missions. We anticipate that the advancement in the proposed areas of engineering research will greatly benefit both space industry and academic institutions, within Canada and abroad, by offering low-cost, high performance solutions to nanosatellite developers. We also note that the proposed engineering research will produce a solid basis for future scientific research by offering easy access to an advanced nanosatellite platform for conducting significant Earth observation science missions. This research will help assure the performance of future nanosatellite missions and provides the opportunity to carry out a pathfinder mission within our research group.