Development of a Solid-State Inflation Balloon Deorbiter

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan Roddy ◽  
Adam Huang
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Gas Generator ◽  
Satellite Mission ◽  
Micro Electro Mechanical Systems ◽  
Small Satellites ◽  
Metal Insulator Metal ◽  
Resistive Heater

In this paper we report on the current development of the Solid State Inflation Balloon (SSIB), a simple, reliable, low-cost, non-propulsive deorbit mechanism for the full range of small satellites (<180kg). Small satellites typically rely on aerodynamic drag to deorbit within the FAA’s 25 year requirements. The SSIB will enhance aerodynamic drag by inflating a balloon at the end-of-life of a satellite mission. This technology will provide a scalable and non-existing capability, low-cost deorbit, for applications in the full-range of smallsats, from CubeSats to MicroSats. The proposed SSIB system is composed of three major components: a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Solid-State Gas Generator (SSGG) chip, a balloon structure made of thin metallized polyimide films such as Kapton® HN composed of multiple lenticular gores which will form a spherical balloon, and a subsystem package suitable for spacecraft integration. The SSGG is composed of a 2D addressable array of Sodium Azide (NaN3) crystals on a glass substrate. The crystals are contained in wells formed by a thick-film of epoxy polymer (SU-8). Under each well is a resistive heater that is selectively addressed using Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) diode networks. When heated to above 350 °C, the NaN3 spontaneously decomposes to generate N2 gas in time scales on the order of 10 milliseconds. Each well can be designed with a typical volume of 10−15 m3 to 10−6 m3 of NaN3. The SSIB system has built-in redundancy due to the fact that the SSGG is a scalable chip design and can incorporate as many gas generating wells as a mission may dictate. Additionally, the SSIB can mitigate balloon leaks by sequential deployment of additional gas wells and can thereby maintain the inflated state of the balloon. The SSIB system will be low power (< 1 W) and have low mass (mass is proportional to the size of the required balloon). Initial simulations have shown that the SSIB can deorbit small satellites from above 1000 km within 25 years.

Demonstration of a Solid-State Inflation Balloon Deorbiter

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan Roddy ◽  
Haden Hodges ◽  
Larry Roe ◽  
Po-Hao Adam Huang
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Aerodynamic Drag ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Space Environment ◽  
Gas Generator ◽  
Satellite Mission ◽  
Micro Electro Mechanical Systems ◽  
Small Satellites ◽  
Resistive Heater

This paper updates on the recent development of the novel Solid State Inflation Balloon (SSIB), a simple, reliable, low-cost, non-propulsive deorbit mechanism for the full range of small satellites, defined by NASA as less than 180 kg. It aims to focus on the recent demonstration, for the first time, inflation of a ∼10 cm sized balloon in a vacuum chamber. Small satellites typically rely on aerodynamic drag to deorbit within the FAA’s 25 year requirements. The SSIB will enhance aerodynamic drag by inflating a balloon at the end-of-life of a satellite mission. This technology will provide a scalable and non-existing capability, low-cost deorbit, for applications in the full-range of smallsats, from CubeSats to MicroSats. The SSIB system is composed of three major components: a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Solid-State Gas Generator (SSGG) chip, a balloon structure made of thin film compatible with space environment (i.e. Mylar, Kapton, or Teflon), and a sub-system package suitable for spacecraft integration. The SSGG is composed of a 2D addressable array of sodium azide (NaN3) crystals, confined by Su-8 wells, on a glass substrate. Current versions include 2×2 and 8×8 arrays designed for a full range of small satellites. Under each well is a resistive heater and when heated to above 350 °C, the NaN3 spontaneously decomposes to generate N2 gas in time scales on the order of 10 milliseconds. Each well is designed with a typical volume of 10–15 m3 to 10−6 m3 of NaN3 (i.e. 1,500 μm × 1,500 μm × 150 μm on the larger end of the spectrum). The SSIB system is low power (∼1 W per well for less than 10 seconds) and have low mass (∼100 grams, where mass is dominated by the size of the required balloon). Initial simulations have shown that the SSIB with balloons of 1 m2 cross-section can deorbit small satellites from above 1000 km well within 25 years.

scholarly journals Long-term reliability of the Figaro TGS 2600 solid-state methane sensor under low Arctic conditions at Toolik lake, Alaska

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Werner Eugster ◽  
James Laundre ◽  
Jon Eugster ◽  
George W. Kling
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Absolute Humidity ◽  
Diel Cycles ◽  
Arctic Conditions ◽  
Sensor Signals ◽  
Ch4 Concentration ◽  
Reference Measurements

Abstract. The TGS 2600 was the first low-cost solid state sensor that shows a weak response to ambient levels of CH4 (e.g., range ≈1.8–2.7 ppm). Here we present an empirical function to correct the TGS 2600 signal for temperature and (absolute) humidity effects and address the long-term reliability of two identical sensors deployed from 2012 to 2018. We assess the performance of the sensors at 30-minute resolution and aggregated to weekly medians. Over the entire period the agreement between TGS-derived and reference CH4 concentrations measured by a high-precision Los Gatos Research instrument was R2 = 0.42, with better results during summer (R2 = 0.65 in summer 2012). Using absolute instead of relative humidity for the correction of the TGS 2600 sensor signals reduced the typical deviation from the reference to less than ±0.1 ppm over the full range of temperatures from −41 °C to 27 °C. At weekly resolution the two sensors showed a downward drift of signal voltages indicating that after 10–13 years a TGS 2600 may have reached its end of life. While the true trend in CH4 concentrations measured by the high-quality reference instrument was 10.1 ppb yr−1 (2012–2018), part of the downward trend in sensor signal (ca. 40–60 %) may be due to the increase in CH4 concentration, because the sensor voltage decreases with increasing CH4 concentration. Weekly median diel cycles tend to agree surprisingly well between the TGS 2600 and reference measurements during the snow-free season, but in winter the agreement is lower. We suggest developing separate functions for deducing CH4 concentrations from TGS 2600 measurements under cold and warm conditions. We conclude that the TGS 2600 sensor can provide data of research-grade quality if it is adequately calibrated and placed in a suitable environment where cross-sensitivities to gases other than CH4 is of no concern.

scholarly journals Long-term reliability of the Figaro TGS 2600 solid-state methane sensor under low-Arctic conditions at Toolik Lake, Alaska

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2681-2695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Werner Eugster ◽  
James Laundre ◽  
Jon Eugster ◽  
George W. Kling
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Mole Fraction ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Absolute Humidity ◽  
Diel Cycles ◽  
Arctic Conditions ◽  
Sensor Signals ◽  
Reference Measurements

Abstract. The TGS 2600 was the first low-cost solid-state sensor that shows a response to ambient levels of CH4 (e.g., range ≈1.8–2.7 µmol mol−1). Here we present an empirical function to correct the TGS 2600 signal for temperature and (absolute) humidity effects and address the long-term reliability of two identical sensors deployed from 2012 to 2018. We assess the performance of the sensors at 30 min resolution and aggregated to weekly medians. Over the entire period the agreement between TGS-derived and reference CH4 mole fractions measured by a high-precision Los Gatos Research instrument was R2=0.42, with better results during summer (R2=0.65 in summer 2012). Using absolute instead of relative humidity for the correction of the TGS 2600 sensor signals reduced the typical deviation from the reference to less than ±0.1 µmol mol−1 over the full range of temperatures from −41 to 27 ∘C. At weekly resolution the two sensors showed a downward drift of signal voltages indicating that after 10–13 years a TGS 2600 may have reached its end of life. While the true trend in CH4 mole fractions measured by the high-quality reference instrument was 10.1 nmolmol-1yr-1 (2012–2018), part of the downward trend in sensor signal (ca. 40 %–60 %) may be due to the increase in CH4 mole fraction because the sensor voltage decreases with increasing CH4 mole fraction. Weekly median diel cycles tend to agree surprisingly well between the TGS 2600 and reference measurements during the snow-free season, but in winter the agreement is lower. We suggest developing separate functions for deducing CH4 mole fractions from TGS 2600 measurements under cold and warm conditions. We conclude that the TGS 2600 sensor can provide data of research-grade quality if it is adequately calibrated and placed in a suitable environment where cross-sensitivities to gases other than CH4 are of no concern.

scholarly journals Design, Implementation, and Operation of a Small Satellite Mission to Explore the Space Weather Effects in LEO

Aerospace ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. 108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isai Fajardo ◽  
Aleksander Lidtke ◽  
Sidi Bendoukha ◽  
Jesus Gonzalez-Llorente ◽  
Rafael Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Space Weather ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Space Environment ◽  
Small Satellite ◽  
Satellite Mission ◽  
Particle Detectors ◽  
Small Satellites ◽  
Environment Effects ◽  
Institute Of Technology

Ten-Koh is a 23.5 kg, low-cost satellite developed to conduct space environment effects research in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Ten-Koh was developed primarily by students of the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) and launched on 29 October 2018 on-board HII-A rocket F40, as a piggyback payload of JAXA’s Greenhouse gas Observing Satellite (GOSAT-2). The satellite carries a double Langmuir probe, CMOS-based particle detectors and a Liulin spectrometer as main payloads. This paper reviews the design of the mission, specifies the exact hardware used, and outlines the implementation and operation phases of the project. This work is intended as a reference that other aspiring satellite developers may use to increase their chances of success. Such a reference is expected to be particularly useful to other university teams, which will likely face the same challenges as the Ten-Koh team at Kyutech. Various on-orbit failures of the satellite are also discussed here in order to help avoid them in future small spacecraft. Applicability of small satellites to conduct space-weather research is also illustrated on the Ten-Koh example, which carried out simultaneous measurements with JAXA’s ARASE satellite.

scholarly journals All-Solid-State Potentiometric Ion-Sensors Based on Tailored Imprinted Polymers for Pholcodine Determination

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1192
Author(s):  
Hisham S. M. Abd-Rabboh ◽  
Abd El-Galil E. Amr ◽  
Abdulrahman A. Almehizia ◽  
Ayman H. Kamel
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Pharmaceutical Formulations ◽  
Measurement Sensitivity ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Multiwalled Carbon ◽  
Imprinted Polymers ◽  
High Measurement ◽  
Liquid Chromatographic

In recent times, the application of the use of ion-selective electrodes has expanded in the field of pharmaceutical analyses due to their distinction from other sensors in their high selectivity and low cost of measurement, in addition to their high measurement sensitivity. Cost-effective, reliable, and robust all-solid-state potentiometric selective electrodes were designed, characterized, and successfully used for pholcodine determination. The design of the sensor device was based on the use of a screen-printed electrode modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a solid-contact transducer. Tailored pholcodine (PHO) molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared, characterized, and used as sensory receptors in the presented potentiometric sensing devices. The sensors exhibited a sensitivity of 31.6 ± 0.5 mV/decade (n = 5, R2 = 0.9980) over the linear range of 5.5 × 10−6 M with a detection limit of 2.5 × 10−7 M. Real serum samples in addition to pharmaceutical formulations containing PHO were analyzed, and the results were compared with those obtained by the conventional standard liquid chromatographic approach. The presented analytical device showed an outstanding efficiency for fast, direct, and low-cost assessment of pholcodine levels in different matrices.

Organic electrode materials for non-aqueous, aqueous, and all-solid-state Na-ion batteries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Holguin ◽  
Motahareh Mohammadiroudbari ◽  
Kaiqiang Qin ◽  
Chao Luo
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Electrode Materials ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Li Ion Batteries ◽  
Organic Electrode ◽  
Li Ion

Na-ion batteries (NIBs) are promising alternatives to Li-ion batteries (LIBs) due to the low cost, abundance, and high sustainability of sodium resources. However, the high performance of inorganic electrode materials...

A Multimodule Planar Air Bearing Testbed for CubeSat-Scale Spacecraft

2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
William R. Wilson ◽  
Laura L. Jones ◽  
Mason A. Peck
Keyword(s):  
Multibody Dynamics ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Air Bearing ◽  
Cost Performance ◽  
Small Satellites ◽  
Ground Testing ◽  
Spacecraft Mission ◽  
Cost Scaling ◽  
Design Cost

In the past several years, small satellites have taken on an increasingly important role as affordable technology demonstrators and are now being viewed as viable low-cost platforms for traditional spacecraft mission objectives. As such, the CubeSat standard (1 kg in a 10 cm cube) has been widely adopted for university-led development efforts even as it is embraced by traditional spacecraft developers, such as NASA. As CubeSats begin to take on roles traditionally filled by much larger spacecraft, the infrastructure for dynamics and controls testing must also transition to accommodate the different size and cost scaling associated with CubeSats. While air-bearing-based testbeds are commonly used to enable a variety of traditional ground testing and development for spacecraft, few existing designs are suitable for development of CubeSat-scale technologies, particularly involving multibody dynamics. This work describes Cornell University's FloatCube testbed, which provides a planar reduced-friction environment for multibody dynamics and controls technology development for spacecraft less than 6 kg and a 15 cm cube. The multimodule testbed consists of four free-floating air-bearing platforms with on-board gas supplies that allow the platforms to float over a glass surface without external attachments. Each of these platforms, or FloatCubes, can host CubeSat-sized payloads at widely ranging levels of development, from prototype components to full-scale systems. The FloatCube testbed has already hosted several successful experiments, proving its ability to provide an affordable reduced-friction environment to CubeSat-scale projects. This paper provides information on the system design, cost, performance, operating procedures, and applications of this unique, and increasingly relevant, testbed.

Screening of low cost agricultural wastes to maximize the fructosyltransferase production and its applicability in generation of fructooligosaccharides by solid state fermentation

2017 ◽  
Vol 118 ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohd Anis Ganaie ◽  
Hemant Soni ◽  
Gowhar Ahmad Naikoo ◽  
Layana Taynara Santos Oliveira ◽  
Hemant Kumar Rawat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Solid State Fermentation ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Agricultural Wastes

A Lithiated Organic Nanofiber-Reinforced Composite Polymer Electrolyte Enabling Li-ion Conduction Highways for Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liying Tian ◽  
Ying Liu ◽  
Zhe Su ◽  
Yu Cao ◽  
Wanyu Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Solid Polymer Electrolytes ◽  
Solid Polymer ◽  
Composite Polymer Electrolyte ◽  
Lithium Metal ◽  
Lithium Metal Batteries ◽  
Reinforced Composite ◽  
Li Ion

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) with good flexibility and low cost are very promising for all-solid-state lithium metal batteries, but they suffer from the trad-off between ionic conductivity at room temperature...

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