Development, Integration, and Evaluation of Lightweight Materials for Cubesat Architectures
Abstract
Reductions in size, weight, and power requirements have been continuously sought for space systems. With small satellite technology continuing to leverage the miniaturization of electronics, pushing the boundaries of size and weight is a synergistic effort that enables the development of national capabilities in space. Currently, small satellite technology is often limited by the temperature limits of certain components, such as processors and batteries, and the high costs of placing them in orbit. The effort described herein is the additive manufacturing approach pursued to develop, fabricate, and integrate lightweight materials on a CubeSat. The hypothesis was that commercial filaments could be used to 3D print a radio housing that would have sufficient electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties to replace the original 6061 aluminum alloy. Some of the materials tested included carbon nanotube epoxy composites, carbon fiber reinforced nylon, carbon fiber reinforced polyethylene terephthalate-glycol, polycaprolactone infused with copper, and combinations of the filaments. Diverse radio housing samples were fabricated, integrated, and tested. Additively manufactured parts resulted in acceptable RF shielding and mechanical and thermal conductivity values. Additionally, there was an 86 percent savings for cost and 80 percent less weight than the original aluminum alloy, proving the potential that other material and manufacturing approaches could have in developing CubeSats.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1164999
Entities
People
- Daniel L. Robey
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School