OWLSAT: Space City’s First CubeSat

TARGET GROUP: EUV RADIATION MEASUREMENTS OF THE SUN

OBJECTIVES

·        To investigate the atmospheric response to EUV solar radiation and create a linear regression model predicting the orbital behavior of satellites

·        To study the profile of ionized particles found at different altitudes within LEO and create a linear regression model estimating their values (as a function ....of solar variability) across a specific range of LEO

SUMMARY

Energetic emissions from the sun can have tangible effects upon the Earth’s atmosphere. Increased EUV radiation caused by solar activity adds energy to the particles that compose the atmosphere, causing the atmosphere to expand. This movement increases the amount of atmospheric drag satellites encounter and subsequently raises their rate of orbital decay. Additionally, the charged particles emitted by the sun contribute primarily to the lethality of ionizing radiation, a danger that must be studied further if humans are to make a prolonged presence in LEO. The OwlSat CubeSat will measure the levels of ionizing radiation at LEO and use that data to synthesize a second linear regression model capable of predicting the altitudes of maximum radiation pressure, helping mission planners plan for the physical health of astronauts during extreme solar weather events. The OwlSat CubeSat includes 4 EUV radiation sensors that measure solar activity, 3 heavy-particle detectors used to determine levels of harmful ionized particles found within LEO, 3 accelerometers used to monitor the velocity of the satellite, and a GPS receiver used to determine the location and altitude of the satellite.

REFERENCE

https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.rice.edu/dist/2/9500/files/2019/11/2019-2020-CSLI-Proposal.pdf