T.A.C.S. Cube Sat System

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The Transposable Adaptable Cube Sat (T.A.C.S.) system is a low-cost, robust micro satellite solution designed using FDM 3D printing technology. The main goal of T.A.C.S. is to provide easy interchangeability and adaptability with minimal hardware. This is achieved through locking mechanisms on exterior panels and interlocking main frame pieces. The system adheres to the CubeSat Guidelines by cubesat.org and can be installed in all current payload delivery systems. It has an overall exterior working space of 100mm^3 and an interior working space of 96mm^3, with 166mm of working space on each exterior panel. The T.A.C.S. system's cost analysis ranges from $47.56 to $236.67 for 1U-6U units, assuming a cost of $3.66 per cubic inch and Polycarbonate material. Alternative materials such as Ultem and PPSF can be considered for production use, while ABS and Nylon are limited to in-house concept development. SLS processes are acceptable for concept development but discouraged for production due to material limitations. SMLS is not recommended due to increased costs from part rework. Reference materials include the CubeSat Design Specification, DMLS, SLS, and FDM design guidelines. Solid models are available upon request; the product is in limited development.