Mobile CubeSat Command and Control: Assembly and Lessons Learned

Abstract

The Mobile CubeSat Command and Control (MC3) system provides ground support for the Colony II program. The combination of commercial off-the-shelf hardware with government off-the-shelf control software make for a low cost ground station solution. The Naval Postgraduate School will partner with select educational facilities to provide a world-wide footprint for Colony II satellite operations. To assist these partner facilities, the author created a detailed assembly and setup guide targeted to an average college student, a typical user for the MC3 ground station. This thesis captures the assembly process and documents lessons learned to help future operators of MC3 ground stations in their educational endeavors. Also included is an analysis and discussion of the Global Educational Network for Satellite Operations network and its suitability for performing the Colony II ground segment mission and possibly supplementing the MC3 network.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2011
Accession Number
ADA551939

Entities

People

  • Gregory C. Morrison

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Command And Control
  • Electronic Mail
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Ground Stations
  • Lessons Learned
  • Network Protocols
  • Operating Systems
  • Radio Equipment
  • Satellite Buses
  • Satellite Communications
  • Security Protocols
  • Small Satellites
  • Space Systems
  • Spacecraft
  • Stations
  • Students

Readers

  • STEM Education
  • Software Engineering
  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
  • Space
  • Space - Satellites