Team Miles
Mission typeTechnology
Websiteteam.miles-space.com
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftTeam Miles
Spacecraft type6U CubeSat
ManufacturerFluid and Reason LLC
Launch mass14 kg (31 lb)
Dimensions10×20×30 cm
Start of mission
Launch date2020
RocketSLS Block 1
Launch siteKennedy LC-39B
Orbital parameters
Reference systemHeliocentric (Earth-trailing)
Flyby of Moon
Transponders
BandS band
 

Team Miles is a type of nanosatellite called 6-Unit CubeSat that will demonstrate navigation in deep space using innovative plasma thrusters. It will also test a software-defined radio operating in the S band for communications from about 4 million kilometers from Earth.

Team Miles will be one of thirteen CubeSats to be carried with the Orion EM-1 mission into a heliocentric orbit in cislunar space on the maiden flight of the Space Launch System, scheduled to launch in 2019.[1]

Overview

Parameter Units/performance
Thrust 5 mN
Specific impulse (Isp) 760 sec
Impulse 7456 N sec
Power 22 W
Wet mass 1.5 kg
Propellant mass 1 kg
Propellant Solid iodine
Thrust:Mass 3.3 mN/kg
Impulse:Power 338 N sec/W
Delta-V 12 kg craft 649 m/s

The spacecraft, a 6-Unit CubeSat —measuring 10×20×30 cm— was designed and is being developed by a non-profit group of fifteen citizen scientists and engineers (Fluid and Reason, LLC) based at Tampa, Florida.[2][3][4] Since the Team Miles won the first place at CubeQuest Challenge for the selection process,[5] Fluid and Reason, LLC stroke partnerships and became Miles Space, a commercial endeavor to further develop the technology and intellectual property that has come out of the design process.[2]

Propulsion

Wesley Faler, who leads Fluid and Reason, LLC., is the inventor of the ion thruster to be used, which he calls ConstantQ Model H.[6][2] It is a form of electric propulsion for spacecraft. The engine is a hybrid plasma and laser thruster that uses ionized iodine as propellant.[7][4]

The Model H system includes 4 thruster heads which are canted, allowing for both primary propulsion and attitude control (orientation) without the use of moving parts.[6][8] The goal within the CubeQest Challenge is to travel 4 million kilometers, but the team will attempt to go as far as 96 million kilometers before the end of the mission.[2]

Radio

The spacecraft will use the USRP B200mini, a software-defined radio operating in the S band for communications from about 4 million kilometers from Earth.[9]

See also

The 13 CubeSats flying in the Exploration Mission 1

References

  1. ^ Anderson, Gina; Porter, Molly (8 June 2017). "Three DIY CubeSats Score Rides on NASA's First Flight of Orion, Space Launch System". NASA.
  2. ^ a b c d Cube Quest Challenge Spotlight: Team Miles. Space Daily, 19 May 2017.
  3. ^ Cube Quest Challenge Spotlight: Team Miles. Jennifer Harbaugh, NASA News. 18 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b The Miles CubeSat Might Be the Next Satellite Sent to Mars. Jeremy S Cook, MakeZine
  5. ^ Centennial Challenges Program Overview: How NASA Successfully Involves the General Public in the Solving of Current Technology Gaps. AIAA SPACE Forum. 12 - 14 Sep 2017, Orlando, FL. AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition.
  6. ^ a b ConstantQ Spacecraft Propulsion. Fluid and Reason LLC. 2017.
  7. ^ Tampa team enters new Space Race with cube satellite. Lloyd Sowers, Fox News. 11 May 2017.
  8. ^ ConstantQ™ Thruster. Miles Space 2017.
  9. ^ Investigation into New Ground Based Communications Service Offerings in Response to SmallSat Trends. (PDF) Scott Schaire, Serhat Altunc, Yen Wong, etal. 32nd Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites. Document SSC18-SI-07.