Retrodirective Radar Calibration Nanosatellite

Abstract

For more than eight years, the DMSP F-15 and RADCAL satellites have been operating past their operational lifetimes and are facing imminent failure, leaving the US military without a reliable means for C-Band radar calibration and performance monitoring. To address the need for a quick, reliable, and low-cost solution, a team of University of Hawaii students has developed a nanosatellite solution to supplement these failing satellites, all with a modest $110K budget and two-year schedule. Our satellite s name is Ho`oponopono, or to make right in the Hawaiian language. While the RADCAL and Ho`oponopono satellites share several common design features, Ho`oponopono exhibits several notable differences from RADCAL in its design as a direct result of advances in technology. While the most apparent difference is Ho`oponopono s 3U CubeSat form factor, which is a fraction of the size of RADCAL s structure, a not-so-apparent difference is the fact that Ho`oponopono is a student-built nanosatellite, fabricated at a modest price. Ho oponopono was selected by NASA to be a participant in its CubeSat Launch Initiative and is manifested for a 2013 launch.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA589905

Entities

People

  • Larry K. Martin
  • Nicholas G. Fisher
  • Wayne A. Shiroma

Organizations

  • University of HawaiĘ»i System

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Artificial Satellites
  • C Band
  • Circuit Boards
  • Data Processing
  • Engineering
  • Nanosatellites
  • Orbits
  • Organizational Structure
  • Payload
  • Printed Circuit Boards
  • Printed Circuits
  • Radar
  • Small Satellites
  • Stations
  • Systems Engineering

Readers

  • Aerospace Research.
  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Radio communications and signal processing.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites