Building a CubeSat for less than $1000 -- Part 1 -- It should be possible
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- Опубликовано: 1 окт 2024
- Why are CubeSats / Cube Satellites so expensive? Entry level 1U satellites for basic science missions often cost at least $10 or $20K, and I figure that they shouldn't, given how cheap consumer electronics are. 2U / 3U and above satellites are even more expensive, not to mention the much much larger launch cost. Is the high cost justified by the unique operating environment and market demand for CubeSats?
Today I set a goal of building a functional (but without science payload) CubeSat that costs less than $1000 in material and production costs.
Is this achievable? I hope to find out!
I work in this industry and yes these things are seriously expensive but also the cost isn't necessarily due to the hardware being expensive. The cost comes from testing and verification. Most integrators and launch providers want detailed information concerning vibration testing, material certifications for outgassing, vacuum testing and burn in. A lot of the players in the sat industry can't really afford to mess this up so they want to make sure the one shot they do have works. All of this additional engineering and testing costs are what kills the affordability. Even if you can get away with doing this all yourself, either academically or otherwise, no launch provider is going to let you on a ride share without this work, which requires specific testing hardware and a lot of man hours... which coincidentally costs a lot of money.
Thank you for your insight! I figured that this was the case - no way anyone is going to just let me throw my payload onto their multi-million dollar mission without proper documentation and testing.
This project is mainly focused on getting the material cost down to around $1000. If I can figure out a workable hardware solution, try and fail along the way, iterate without breaking the bank, then maybe I can make something that is worthwhile to put through qualification testing.
I'm also hoping, (it might be a fool's hope) that with launch costs decreasing, so to will the qualifications. I don't expect them to go away, but maybe less rigorous.
@@RGSAT Best of luck! There is a lot of interest in the industry to try and use non-space hardened components for more affordable space applications. Some things need to radiation hardened but others may not, and really the only way to know is to try.
Hi Maximilian, I’m a member of a cubesat project and I could really use your help, can I ask you some questions?
This is my email: cubesat.il1@gmail.com
@@maadmaxx123 s
I also work in the industry and whats important to know is that most (like a lot) cubesats fail in space or earlier in the launch or even prior to. The cost that you are referring to is the intense systems and detailed design, the I&T process, the component traceability, CoC, all of that. We are working diligently to use COTS components in space systems, but they are for Class sub-D programs mainly (less than $25M for only 1-3 months of mission lifetime or so, per NPR 8705.4A). Remember: the decision to launch things into space is for research, demonstration, etc. Customers who are integrating their payloads to cubesat, nano, and micro sats still require the bus to be reliable to meet their mission duration objectives.
We will watch your career with great interest.
Parts List?
Maybe Links if we're Lucky?
Thank You for Your time and effort, love the cube sat series!
I subscribed your channel but please write the name of all the parts need to buy to built this satelite
Which communication system you are using?
I mean which frequency
Originally my plan was to use the Iridium constellation of satellites, which communicate around 1600MHz.
See my other videos where I talk about this more, specifically ruclips.net/video/HfWni35TOeQ/видео.html
I'm just learning about CubeSats and whoa my mind is blown. I'm an electrical engineering student and I forsure want to learn as much as I can. Thank you so much for the series learning alot.
Hey how r u?
Could you please guide me some... I want to make rain water purification plant as my final year project
I am also electrical engineering student
how to orbit it :)
Check out rockelab's page, I believe you can book a flight there online
@@rebornranch1386 how trusted are they
@@Tx-do9fe I mean... they're Rocket Lab, they make their rockets literally for small sats.
@@Tx-do9fe they have luanch 100+ cube sats
@@rebornranch1386 also space X because its much cheaper
Thanks bubby for this beautiful imformation
Any list of inventory or support if I have to build this? Asking in 2024 :-)
It looks like your at a bit less than $250 for what seems like all the basic electronics needed. Is there any other major components that you can think of that may drive the cost up?
You are right, the basic electronics are pretty cheap. It's the Radio + decent solar cells that seem to add up really quickly
Haven’t found prices, but a propulsion system such as those from VACCO probably get pricey (they are offering cubesat thrusters).
Testing and certification to buy into a rideshare
I recently had the crazy idea to build my own personal cubesat and put one in space (hence how I came across your video). I knew the flight would be costly, but I don’t understand the cost of the sat when like you said, many of the components are just fairly ordinary components. A few grand I get, but getting into the tens of thousands is questionable.
There are a couple of things that really bump up the price:
Any sort of rad tolerant or rad hard parts, Radios, High efficiency space-rated solar Cells. Good PCB manufactures are not cheap either. Consider all that you need to buy to produce just one final product, there will be attrition.
And consider that an EPS or other pre-made components might be purchased off-the-shelf for several thousand dollars. This doesn't even include the payload, which can easily be the most expensive part of a satellite. Highly specialized science gets expensive quick.
I got started years ago in the same way you are, and I had the original thoughts. If you could get a dedicated launch for free... then yeah, you can do it really cheaply. Unfortunately, if you are building a cubesat cheaply, you can't afford a dedicated launch :) so you are going on a rideshare, which is going to be donated to you somehow (not going to happen, just saying :) and whoever donates that is going to want flight-proven hardware to ensure the mission has a chance to succeed, plus you are going to need flight-proven hardware to get insured. (I am making this as simple as possible, so removing a lot of the tech detaiks) It is quite amazing, you can build a cubesat flight controller with a beaglebone for about $100 that matches the design of a flight-proven one, whereas a Pumpkin module using a Beaglebone Black is about $8k... the Pumpkin is tested, and designed for space, which is actually hard to do. requiring, multiple redundant memory sections in order to cross-reference each other to check for issues caused by radiation., even a standard OS won't work well, need a RTOS that can react quick enough in the event of a very probable random system reset. Definitely check out KUBOS on Github to get the basic idea. The amount of engineering that goes into making a beaglebone properly function in orbit is insane. You also have to realize your cubesat is catching a ride with many other MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE satellites on top of a very large BOMB. So... anything going wrong with it could spell disaster for everyone... You are definitely not getting a cubesat with any form of propulsion to orbit... and if it isn't known flight-tested hardware, such as from Pumpkin, it ISN'T flying.... You also have to take weight and size into account, your MAIN design goal is going to be a little weight as possible... and that includes cooling systems.... reaction wheel or magnetorque, etc. Then lets not forget that you need to get a signal back down to you... a lot of places use a data service, almost like internet in space, which is costly in itself. If you are still interested, like I said, check out KubOS, and definitely check out pumpkinspace.com which has affordable hardware, that will set you on the path at least. Still have quite a few years until launches become anywhere near affordable, and lets not mention you need to convince the FAA to LET YOU.... Also need a Payload :)A Cubesat is all fun and stuff, but no need for a spinning uncontrollable flying webcam... so you are going to have to pay hardening whatever it is you want to DO with your cubesat,,,
I really want to start making these things I have enough money and Minor experience in engineering and programming butCan i put camera or something to take pics on the cubesat??
Parece ser simples, vou acompanhar o desenvolvimento
Simples nada tava maluco quando falei isso
@@-_-6988 lol
shit i did it for 10,000 waste of frikin money
The reason it is expensive is that if you take those off-the-shelf components and sent them, the sattellite would stop working within hours. So you'd have to figure out why, fix the errors, then send it again. And then again, and then again. In the end you have handled the excess heat from the intense sunshine, the crazy cold in the shade, the vibrations on the way up, and the radiation glitching your electronics, and the space particles building up thousand voltage static charge on your sat until it arcs and fries a component. All of which is expensive to do. OR just pay for the experienced experts to get it right on the first try. Which is expensive.
Experienced experts
Hi is it possible to host a site from the Arduino so everyone who has the URL can check in and see the censor data
Can you please explain the Communication Systems? What can be the cheapest way to communicate between Earth and LEO and how to achieve it?....
Yes! I'm working on that
The nice thing about space is you basically have line of site with the sat when it passes overhead. Sure it's far away but otherwise you could make contact with as little as 1 watt of transmission power.
holy balls those sparkfun boards arent cheap!
No they are not!
As in all free markets, costs are set by what the buyers are willing to pay. If someone comes up with a cheaper product that can do the same thing, that price changes.
thank you, this was very helpful.. HOW CAN I CONNTACT WITH YOU ?
Hi, friend, I want to ask you something.Don't you need money to launch?Or you can get free launch opportunities through certain methods？
No free launch opportunities! I plan on building a prototype that _could_ be launched, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.
Are you planning on launching it via rideshare?
Once/if I get to that point, yes.
Right now I'm just trying to build something that works!
@@RGSAT awesome!
I built a satellite that just beeps. It's like Sputnik's little cousin.
What is the name of the thing that is behind camera the whole puch senor or what plz tell me💞💞
Thnx bro
Thnx bro
Please can you add the componants link?
Did u find components
Where's your attitude control?
How much does it costs to launch a cubesat?
idk, around 5000 to 50 000 maybe
I'll tell you where the components price come from : Greed. I mean, shit, in my country $13K is equivalent to 10 months with a minimum wage. That's insane.
How are you making the 6061 chassis?
Great question. I'm still working out the details!
please post where you got those solar panels
I have a subscription! I want to know the result! What did you do?!
What is cost of cubesat frame for 1u to 6u
How many parts in total? (The video series)
No idea! I'll just be posting until it's done
@@RGSAT thanks a lot.
Keep up the good work.
say which parts
Woa! Insane!
It might be nice to use some radioactive batteries or a heavy sodium ion battery to be continuousely replenished and stick the thing inside of a long tube with long legs that use electromotive forces to move so you'd get a virus style deep sea exploration robot
Can you say your numder