Project Abstract

The ODU CubeSat is part of a multi-university collaborative project that aims at
building a constellation of three small satellites that are shaped in the form of a cube with
dimensions of 10 x 10 x 10 cm and will be deployed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to study
phenomena that influence the varying thermosphere density. Variations in the density of
the thermosphere fluctuate due to seasonal differences, changes in solar activity, solar
radiation, and geomagnetic variations, along with temperature and altitude. These factors
lead to uncertainties in current atmospheric drag models, which are a major source of
error in orbit prediction for most LEO satellites and contribute to flaws in atmospheric
density models of the thermosphere.
Sponsored through the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VCSG) the project
brings together students from Old Dominion University (ODU), the University of
Virginia (UVA), Virginia Tech (VT), and Hampton University (HU) to form the Virginia
CubeSat Constellation (VCC), a first of its kind for undergraduate small satellite research
projects in Virginia. The VCC mission has been manifested and given a delivery date of
July 2018 for an anticipated deployment during the fourth quarter of 2018/first quarter of
2019.
ODU, UVA, and VT are building three satellites that will be simultaneously
deployed from the International Space Station (ISS). Each satellite will collect and
transmit GPS coordinates, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and attitude data, which will
be compiled and analyzed by HU. Among the constellation CubeSats, the one built by
ODU has a unique design and will implement a deployable drag brake to accelerate its
orbital decay. Currently, the ODU team is making progress with the design and
fabrication of their CubeSat chassis, drag brake, and antenna deployment system, as well
as with the on-board electronic microcontroller and radio systems.