Current Status (7/6/10)
KiwiSAT nears completion. All systems have been developed to fight status.
Outstanding: Final integration, launch negotiation, flight software, regulatory requirements.
The Structure.
From the bottom of KiwiSAT and working up.
Tray No 1.
Transmitter Tray
The Transmitter tray/base plate is fully fitted, populated and wired. The picture largely tells the story. What can't be seen (and yet to be fitted) are the (Z-) solar panel and the two antenna systems on the underside. The solar panel is completed and in storage. The VHF antenna blades and UHF stub antenna have been fitted, tuned, surface finished (gold plated) and are carefully stored for the final assembly, shake and subsequent tests prior to the trip to the launch site.
(The UHF beacon antenna socket and lead is in place with the lead and tuning stub temporarily tucked away into the bottom left corner and lashed to the internal coax loom for security. The board is shown with the remote test antenna connected.)
Tray No 2.
Central Power Control
The BCR is completed to flight status and is being fully tested and proven. In this flatsat, its place is with a mains PSU so that the various systems can be run continuously for software development. (This PSU can be seen in some of the wide angle flatsat images later in this report.)
As part of the eventual "KiwiSAT amateur station telemetry software" package (KiwiTLM.exe?) we are planning to introduce some interesting and dynamic graphics.
With Andrew's simulator running, the BCR will - for all intents and purposes - be doing exactly what it was designed to do in space but here on the ground.
Tray No 3.
System Battery
The battery tray. Complete. 10 cell (+1) flight battery pack, analysed, charted, selected and stored in a cool environment for installation pre launch. These are being cycled on a monthly basis to retain full capacity.
The Z axis ADAC coil and the coil driver boards for the 3 axis are installed and power from the Y+ and Y- / X - axis solar panels join the loom through this tray.
This tray is now awaiting final satellite integration in preparation for completed package shake and vacuum/thermal proving.
Tray No 4.
IHU
The IHU and RAMdisk
This In House Unit or IHU is the essential satellite system control computer.
The IHU is now in final configuration awaiting completion of the control system software before being passed as "flight ready."
An apparent FPGA problem has been identified as a logic error and is being corrected.
IHU + RAMDisc
While the main IHU board is a complete computer in its own right, to provide storage for back-up software, all-orbit data, and additional storage during software uploads, additional RAM has been added on a dedicated RAM Board.
This RAM Board piggy backs on the IHU providing vital additional storage especially for any memory intensive activities.
The IHU will control all the vital control and reporting systems on KiwiSAT as well as the Science ADCS Experiment and Transponder Mode Selection.
The flatsat is increasingly controlled through the flight IHU tray as systems are brought on line.
Tray No 5 -The receivers.
Receiver Tray
This completed tray holds the a 70 cm linear transponder receiver and two 70cm FM receivers, one for the FM transponder, the other a telemetry receiver for control and command. Clearly seen are the temporary coax runs to connecting the RF elements to external antennas.
In this view the top right hand corner contains a data interface board and below is the smaller box containing the 70cm receiver pre-amplifier.
The Attic.
Science Attic
Completed to flight ready status.
To enable the wiring of the internal tray loom it was necessary to insert some "temporary supports" with blank D sockets to take the loom D plugs. The L Band Converter and the GPS Rx screening cases were being conversion coated at the time the image was taken and were not in place. The improvised supports enabled the in tray wiring loom to be completed in their absence. They are both now in place but the antennas - for their protection - have been removed which would leave new gaps in a new image !!
Software.
Clean-Room Test Antenna
Software development is now the main focus of the KiwiSAT Team. Along with the FPGA problem, this portion of development is setting the timetable for final integration and launch.
Our launch support strategy is unchanged and it requires us to be able to demonstrate "KiwiSAT" as fully and completely as is possible whilst it sits on its build cradle.
While ready prepared software exists (in the US), to obtain it requires significantly more funding than we have at our disposal (to meet ITAR licensing costs) and would also involve Technical Assistance Agreements (TAA's) which has such restrictions associated with it that we are not even prepared to consider this option.
Thus we are writing our own software for which we have the expertise. That just takes more time and effort. On the brighter side it's not all bad news. It will add to our experience (this is a New Zealand project) and it will perhaps provide a source of software for other future amateur satellite builders!
At the end of the day we can go for a launch with just the boot loader and that's the path we will follow if we have to.
A launch?
This year (2010) we will throw in 100% (again!) and expect to be on a manifest.
Clearly we are getting close as a check of the flatsat images will show.
Enjoy!
FlatSAT on Test
FlatSAT on Test
FlatSAT on Test
