Plan satellite lifecycle

Table of Contents

• Make Satellite Schedule
  • 1. Mission Concept and Feasibility (3-6 months)
  • 2. System Design and Development (6-12 months)
  • 3. Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) (6-9 months)
  • 4. Launch Integration and Operations Readiness (3-6 months)
  • 5. Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) (1-3 months)
  • 6. Nominal Operations Phase (6-24 months)
  • 7. End-of-Life and Decommissioning (1-3 months)
• Types of Schedules

Most student satellite projects aim to start and complete satellite design and launch within two years. To achieve this requires meticulate planning and forsight.

• Table of Contents

Make Satellite Schedule

Breaking down the schedule of a CubeSat project involves organizing the work into phases, milestones, and activities to ensure timely delivery. Here’s a typical schedule breakdown:

1. Mission Concept and Feasibility (3-6 months)

Key Activities:

• Define mission objectives (e.g., Earth observation, technology demonstration).
• Identify stakeholders and users.
• Conduct a feasibility study (technical, financial, and operational).
• Preliminary budget and timeline estimation.
• Review: Concept Review (CoR).

2. System Design and Development (6-12 months)

Key Activities:

• Preliminary Design:
  • Develop system architecture.
  • Perform trade-off analyses for subsystems (ADCS, EPS, Payload, etc.).
  • Create a mission operations plan.
  • Conduct risk analysis and mitigation planning.
  • Review: Preliminary Design Review (PDR).
• Detailed Design:
  • Define subsystem-level specifications.
  • Begin component selection and procurement.
  • Develop simulation and analysis tools.
  • Conduct environmental and mechanical analyses.
  • Review: Critical Design Review (CDR).

3. Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) (6-9 months)

Key Activities:

• Assemble subsystem prototypes for testing.
• Develop Ground Support Equipment (GSE).
• Integrate CubeSat hardware components.
• Develop and validate software (flight and ground).
• Perform environmental tests:
  • Thermal-vacuum testing.
  • Vibration testing.
  • Radiation testing (if applicable).
  • Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) tests.
• Functional testing of the integrated system.
• Review: Test Readiness Review (TRR).

4. Launch Integration and Operations Readiness (3-6 months)

Key Activities:

• Coordinate with the launch provider:
  • Payload interface definition.
  • CubeSat delivery to the integration facility.
• Conduct final functional tests.
• Perform pre-launch verification (battery charging, software updates).
• Train the operations team.
• Develop and test the ground station.
• Review: Flight Readiness Review (FRR).

5. Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) (1-3 months)

Key Activities:

• Launch vehicle integration and deployment.
• Initial contact with the satellite.
• Perform health checks and commissioning tests.
• Activate primary payload and subsystems.

6. Nominal Operations Phase (6-24 months)

Key Activities:

• Conduct mission operations:
  • Execute planned maneuvers.
  • Collect and analyze data from the payload.
• Monitor CubeSat health (telemetry analysis).
• Troubleshoot and resolve anomalies.
• Publish mission results and share data (if applicable).

7. End-of-Life and Decommissioning (1-3 months)

Key Activities:

• Execute deorbiting maneuvers or passive end-of-life measures.
• Assess lessons learned for future missions.
• Publish a mission summary report.

Example CubeSat Schedule

Gantt Chart Breakdown:

Phase	Start	Duration	Milestone
Mission Planning	Month 1	3 months	Concept Review (CoR)
System Design	Month 4	6 months	Preliminary Design Review
Subsystem Development	Month 10	9 months	Critical Design Review
Integration & Testing	Month 19	6 months	Test Readiness Review (TRR)
Launch & Commissioning	Month 25	3 months	Launch Readiness Review
Operations Phase	Month 28	1-2 years	Final Mission Report

Notes:

• Overlaps: Some phases overlap, especially design, procurement, and testing.
• Customization: The schedule depends on mission complexity, budget, and team size.
• Milestone Reviews: Regular reviews ensure progress aligns with goals.

In project management, schedules are used to manage and track time, resources, and deliverables. Different types of schedules serve distinct purposes, and in a CubeSat project, you might encounter or use several of these. Here’s a breakdown:

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Types of Schedules

1. Master Schedule

• Purpose:
  Provides a high-level overview of the entire project timeline.
• Key Features:
  • Summarizes all phases (concept, design, testing, etc.).
  • Used for stakeholder communication and major milestone tracking.
• Example Milestones in a CubeSat Project:
  • Preliminary Design Review (PDR).
  • Critical Design Review (CDR).
  • Launch Readiness.

2. Detailed Schedule

• Purpose:
  Breaks down each phase into specific tasks and sub-tasks.
• Key Features:
  • Includes task dependencies and durations.
  • Assigns resources to tasks.
  • Often visualized using Gantt charts.
• Use Case:
  Managing subsystem developments like ADCS (Attitude Determination and Control System).

3. Critical Path Schedule

• Purpose:
  Focuses on the sequence of tasks that determine the project’s overall duration.
• Key Features:
  • Identifies tasks that, if delayed, will delay the entire project.
  • Used to optimize resource allocation and reduce delays.
• Example in CubeSat Projects:
  A delay in testing solar panels might postpone integration and launch readiness.

4. Milestone Schedule

• Purpose:
  Tracks key deliverables and deadlines without detailed task lists.
• Key Features:
  • Focuses only on milestones (e.g., design reviews, component deliveries).
  • Easier for reporting to high-level stakeholders.
• Example:
  • Concept Approval: Month 3.
  • Payload Delivery: Month 12.

5. Resource Schedule

• Purpose:
  Ensures the availability and allocation of human, financial, and material resources.
• Key Features:
  • Tracks resource usage over time.
  • Highlights potential resource conflicts.
• Use Case:
  Managing lab access for testing or ensuring team availability during key phases.

6. Baseline Schedule

• Purpose:
  Serves as the original project timeline for tracking deviations.
• Key Features:
  • Acts as a reference point for progress monitoring.
  • Helps measure schedule performance (planned vs. actual).
• Use Case:
  Comparing planned satellite assembly timelines with actual progress.

7. Agile or Iterative Schedule

• Purpose:
  Supports flexible development cycles for software-heavy projects.
• Key Features:
  • Tasks grouped into short sprints or iterations.
  • Continuous adjustments based on progress and feedback.
• Use Case:
  Developing and testing CubeSat flight software in iterations.

8. Integrated Schedule

• Purpose:
  Combines schedules across different teams or subsystems.
• Key Features:
  • Aligns efforts across hardware, software, and testing teams.
  • Manages dependencies between teams (e.g., payload delivery for integration).
• Example:
  Aligning ADCS development with power subsystem testing.

9. Rolling Wave Schedule

• Purpose:
  Plans in detail for near-term activities while keeping long-term phases high-level.
• Key Features:
  • Focuses on immediate tasks while refining future phases as more information becomes available.
• Use Case:
  Planning detailed integration steps while keeping launch preparations flexible.

10. Contingency Schedule

• Purpose:
  Accounts for potential delays or risks.
• Key Features:
  • Includes buffer time for critical tasks.
  • Identifies alternative plans for high-risk activities.
• Use Case:
  Adding buffer weeks for component delivery delays.

Visual Tools for Scheduling

• Gantt Charts:
  Good for detailed and master schedules.
• PERT Charts:
  Useful for critical path and task dependencies.
• Kanban Boards:
  Ideal for Agile schedules.
• Dashboards:
  Combine multiple schedules into one interactive view.

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