Faculty Mentor:

• Alexey Shashurin

Description:

TracSat is Purdue’s entry into the University Nanosatellite Program (UNP), sponsored by the Air Force. We are designing a CubeSat mission that will test a novel electric propulsion system in low earth orbit. The electric propulsion payload is a pulsed-magnetoplasmadynamic (PMPD) thruster being developed by the Purdue Electric Propulsion and Plasma Lab (EPPL). The mission will test performance differences between thruster performance in ground testing vs on orbit, and will lay the groundwork for adapting the thruster into a dual-mode chemical/electric propulsion system. Students will design, build, and test a prototype of the satellite and periodically report our progress to UNP through design reviews. One team will be selected for flight at the end of Fall 2026. Most technical work will be performed within one of the following subteams: payload integration, ground support equipment, orbital/thermal analysis, software development, satellite structure, electrical power system, guidance/navigation/control, communications, and command/data handling. Students are recommended to stay on the project for at least 2 semesters in order to make meaningful contributions to the team.

Relevant Technologies

• FPGA/CPU boards

• Microcontrollers

• Networked computing

• Pulsed power systems

   

Preequisite knowledge/skills:

• Interest in the mission

• Strong background in circuits and programming experience is preferred

• Ability to contribute to a multi-semester project