FlatSat Platforms for Small Satellites: A Systematic Mapping and Classification

Abstract

Recent trends indicate an increase in the number of small satellite missions, which can be developed more quickly and at a lower cost than traditional satellites. This has led to a growing interest in university-based satellite development, despite a lack of expertise in the space field, which has resulted in a high failure rate for such missions. To address this issue, the implementation of robust and reliable verification and validation (V&V) methods has become essential, and it has been demonstrated that the use of a FlatSat during the V&V campaign increases reliability. Despite the significance of FlatSat, there is a dearth of information on the platforms used to implement it, as well as a classification scheme for locating them. This article contributes to bridging this gap by conducting a systematic mapping of 65 works that were selected based on specific criteria and subsequently analyzed. The primary characteristics of the platforms are enumerated, and a new classification for FlatSat platforms into Raw, Bridge, Dock, and Modular is proposed. In order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic, the principal tests conducted on these platforms were also covered.