1 of 22

PyCubed�An Open-Source, Radiation-Tested CubeSat Framework Programmable Entirely in Python

Max Holliday, Andrea Ramirez, Connor Settle, Tane Tatum,

Debbie Senesky, Zac Manchester

Stanford University

github.com/pycubed

2 of 22

CubeSats:

engineering exercise or research tool?

CubeSat Success Rate

(non-commercial/gov)

DOA

Early Loss

Partial Mission

Full Mission

Data from M. Swartwout, Saint Louis University

3 of 22

We wouldn’t ask a chemist to design and build their own labware…

…then why do we treat science in Space that way?

Decouple CubeSat engineering from conducting science in Space?

4 of 22

PyCubed

An open-source hardware + software platform for CubeSats

  1. Command and control of the spacecraft (C&DH)
  2. Energy harvesting and power management (EPS)
  3. Telecommunication (TT&C)
  4. Data collection and storage
  5. Payload interfacing
  6. Fail-safe deployment mechanisms

What does PyCubed do?

5 of 22

PyCubed

An open-source hardware + software platform for CubeSats

~$100

6 of 22

PyCubed Hardware

  • Low Cost (and COTS)
  • Modular
  • Radiation Tested
  • Flight Proven
  • Designed for Reliability

PyCubed Software

7 of 22

PyCubed Hardware

  • Low Cost (and COTS)
  • Modular
  • Radiation Tested
  • Flight Proven
  • Designed for Reliability

PyCubed Software

Sinclair/Dryer “Careful COTS” approach

~$100 for 4-layer flight board and components

8 of 22

PyCubed Hardware

  • Low Cost (and COTS)
  • Modular
  • Radiation Tested
  • Flight Proven
  • Designed for Reliability

PyCubed Software

9 of 22

PyCubed Hardware

  • Low Cost (and COTS)
  • Modular
  • Radiation Tested
  • Flight Proven
  • Designed for Reliability

PyCubed Software

Component Function

Part Number

TID Response

N-Channel MOSFET

IRLML5103

Within spec beyond 35 krad

P-Channel MOSFET

IRLML2803

Within spec beyond 35 krad

Microcontroller

ATSAMD51G

Flash memory issues starting at 16 krad, power and logic functional beyond 35 krad

Analog to Digital Converter

ADS124S08

Within spec until 19 krad

Ongoing TID testing at NASA Ames

10 of 22

PyCubed Hardware

  • Low Cost (and COTS)
  • Modular
  • Radiation Tested
  • Flight Proven
  • Designed for Reliability

PyCubed board operated the KickSat-2 mothership

11 of 22

PyCubed Hardware

  • Low Cost (and COTS)
  • Modular
  • Radiation Tested
  • Flight Proven
  • Designed for Reliability

PyCubed Software

12 of 22

PyCubed Hardware

  • Low Cost (and COTS)
  • Modular
  • Radiation Tested
  • Flight Proven
  • Designed for Reliability

PyCubed Software

  • Adafruit’s CircuitPython
  • Native USB Mass Storage
  • Simple Plain-Text Files
  • Robust Fault tolerance

13 of 22

PyCubed Hardware

  • Low Cost (and COTS)
  • Modular
  • Radiation Tested
  • Flight Proven
  • Designed for Reliability

PyCubed Software

  • Adafruit’s CircuitPython
  • Native USB Mass Storage
  • Simple Plain-Text Files
  • Robust Fault tolerance

14 of 22

PyCubed Hardware

  • Low Cost (and COTS)
  • Modular
  • Radiation Tested
  • Flight Proven
  • Designed for Reliability

PyCubed Software

  • Adafruit’s CircuitPython
  • Native USB Mass Storage
  • Simple Plain-Text Files
  • Robust Fault tolerance

15 of 22

PyCubed Hardware

  • Low Cost (and COTS)
  • Modular
  • Radiation Tested
  • Flight Proven
  • Designed for Reliability

PyCubed Software

  • Adafruit’s CircuitPython
  • Native USB Mass Storage
  • Simple Plain-Text Files
  • Robust Fault tolerance

16 of 22

17 of 22

18 of 22

19 of 22

20 of 22

21 of 22

We want to make it EASIER to conduct science in space

PyCubed lays the foundation…

but its impact depends on community involvement

  • Design files
  • Source code
  • Detailed design discussions
  • Reliability documentation

github.com/pycubed

AA 236: Spacecraft Design

Future Work

​

​

  • Over-the-Air Update Capability
  • Expanded Attitude Determination & Control System (ADCS) Features

22 of 22

maholli@stanford.edu

​

rexlab.stanford.edu

xlab.stanford.edu

github.com/pycubed

Questions?