Space Imaging Infrastructure Development of PUBSAT and NERVA Orbital Vehicle

Abstract

Imaging infrastructure development for the PUBSAT nanosatellite and the associated NERVA orbital nano-launcher are presented, with emphasize on challenges related to environmental and political problems of high atmospheric flight on the seashore of western Black Sea. Means of laboratory modeling of the orbital flight environment are presented, suited to development within the existing experimental facilities of the University "Politehnica" of Bucharest. Emphasize is made to the optical system requirements, especially those related to attitude control of the satellite. Suborbital flights with recoverable payload are considered for further development of the imaging system, with potential launching from the existing flight test field on the Romanian Black Sea western shore. This phase of development follow the ground-based laboratory modeling of the attitude command system. The real scale laboratory model concept of the PUBSAT is presented, with capability of three-axis attitude control demonstration on the ground, with weightlessness simulation by air-bearings. The study is part of the UPB program of developing a low cost orbital system for applications in enhanced environmental policies in cooperation with Greece, USA and France.