A flexible adaptor system for 30–50kg nanosatellites

Recent advances in miniaturization techniques and materials have enabled progressively smaller satellites to provide significant mission capability. The cost of launch, however, continues to be a barrier to executing low-cost missions. Capitalizing on significant, otherwise unused launch vehicle (LV) volume and lift mass capability, many developers have found inexpensive launch accommodation as either secondary payloads, or as truly “opportunistic” piggyback/tertiary rideshares. Examples are CubeSats and EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) payloads. The success of rideshare missions has given launch integrators confidence that rideshare payloads will not adversely impact primary payloads. As a result of these rideshare successes, there is growing global interest to increase small satellite launch accommodation to quantities well in excess of ten free-flyer deployments per mission. JHU/APL assessed existing capabilities for manifesting small satellites as rideshare payloads on a variety of launch vehicles. Through a combination of top-down analysis and bottoms-up design activities, it was determined that there was an un-served niche between 5-10 kg 3U/6U CubeSats and 180 kg ESPA-class small satellites; accommodation for a space vehicle of 30-50 kg mass and approximately 88,000 cm³ volume was needed. To address this need, JHU/APL has developed a unique flexible adapter system and a corresponding Multi-Mission Nanosatellite (MMN) space vehicle (SV) concept, that can readily integrate with multiple LVs, and more optimally utilizes available mass and volume provisions. In this paper we will discuss the analysis findings, associated requirements, space vehicle provisions and technical details of the adapter system design.