Deployment of a telescope onboard a CubeSat
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Project and Master Subjects 2026-2027
- GNSS-R: GNSS jamming and spoofing detection and localization from space
- GNSS-R: Maritime surveilance with GNSS-R
- GNSS-R/GNSS-RFI Embedded system and processing pipeline
- Software system for new smallsat camera systems
- Automatic gain control for RF front end on GNSS RFI satellite payload
- Deployment of a telescope onboard a CubeSat
- Maritime Surveillance form Space: On-board ship-detection with an RGB camera on HYPSO2
- Generalized onboard/internal command and messaging framework
- Define a CubeSat bus architecture for a GNSS RFI mission
- Energy Budgeting for Dynamic Targeting
- Dynamic image target generation for the HYPSO satellites
- Design and Testing of a Strobing Illumination System for an Underwater Hyperspectral Camera
- LEO SatCom Signals of Opportunity for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT)
- yr.no for GNSS: Real-time service providing GNSS interference coverage
- Past Projects
Deployment of a telescope onboard a CubeSat
Advisor: Joe Garrett
Co-advised by Manu Linares from the Department of Physics
The NTNU Smallsat lab and the Department of Physics have started planning for a new satellite: the Gravitational wave Ultraviolet Transient SatellIte (GUTSI). We would like to use a moderately large (e.g. ~18 cm aperture) telescope on the satellite. We also want to fit it on a small satellite, namely a 12-16U cubesat. Therefore, we need to package the telescope tightly for launch and then deploy it in space.
The goal in this project is to determine how to control that deployment electronically. Students from the Mechanical Engineering department have already developed a mechanical prototype for the deployment. Your goal is to develop the strategy to extend the secondary mirror and focus the lens while controlling the 2-4 actuators. Optionally, you could look into the optical design as well.
In this project, you will learn about:
- Electro-mechanical actuation in space
- Control of mechanical actuators
- Telescope optics
- Satellite mission planning
If you're interested, stop by my office and I can give you a copies of some reports on the deployable telescope (not yet publically available online).