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Allison Cook, Maria Barna, Steve Massey, Tyler Olson, Gerrit Smith
Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Parks College of Engineering, Aviation, and Technology
St. Louis University
Advisor: Dr. Michael Swartwout
Abstract
The COPPER mission is to study the use of a microbolometer array in low Earth orbit for taking infrared images of Earth's cities as well as Earth's atmospheric and oceanic conditions. The mission emphasizes the use of commercially available parts and a simple mission definition to allow an undergraduate team to successfully complete the fabrication of the CubeSat for a March 2012 launch through the NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative. Proto-flight hardware and documentation was presented in January 2011 as part of the Flight Competition Review of the University Nanosat Program. The current CubeSat design utilizes the FLIR Tau 320 microbolometer for an infrared imager stabilized by permanent magnets and hysteresis materials. The power will be provided by solar panels mounted to the sides of the cube. Image data will be stored onboard the CubeSat and transmitted to ground stations during overpass by commercially available flight proven radios. The complete COPPER system will be delivered for environmental testing in July 2011.
Allison Cook is a senior studying Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Engineering Mathematics at Saint Louis University. She has accepted a position with AFRL upon graduation in May 2011.
Maria Barna is a senior studying Aerospace Engineering at Saint Louis University. She is minoring in Computer Science and Philosophy and would like to start a career in the space industry upon graduation in December 2011.
Steve Massey is a junior studying Electrical and Computer Engineering at Saint Louis University. He has a life goal of working towards making manned spaceflight commonplace.
Tyler Olson is freshman at Saint Louis University studying Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Computer Science. He hopes to work in the aerospace industry with particular emphasis on astronautics and space exploration.
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