Adaptable CubeSat Structure for Additive Manufacturing

grabcad

The 3D printed CubeSat structure we designed takes advantage of recent advancements in additive manufacturing, offering a simplified design that can be customized to suit various payloads and purposes. We believe plastic structures produced by fused deposition will eventually find their way into orbit due to their accessibility for students, hobbyists, and start-ups. Our structure is designed for production using high tensile-strength plastics like PEEK; however, our initial prototypes were created with VeroWhite due to availability. We are currently conducting a range of validation tests to analyze material strength, outgassing, and resistance to the orbital radiation environment. If necessary, we may pivot towards metal-based production while still eliminating unnecessary material. The design includes several advantageous features such as rapid prototyping with plastics, reduced density compared to traditional metal-based structures, compatibility with standard PC104 system boards, and adaptive material thicknesses to combat localized stress concentrations. It builds upon industry experience and flight heritage while maximizing interior space for components by eliminating cross-beams. Despite the advantages, concerns remain regarding the resilience of plastic materials in launch and orbital environments. To address these issues, we plan to conduct various tests, starting with the launch of our prototype CubeSat in partnership with Missouri University of Science and Technology during the 2015 Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition. We will assess outgassing using a vacuum chamber and radiation exposure resilience through irradiation and subsequent strength testing. Our team has been featured on ABC Radio National's Science Show, and our prototype CubeSat launch will be in partnership with Missouri S&T's HPER Design Team.