• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.34-39
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• 2012

CubeSats classified as pico-class satellite require a ground station to track the satellite, transmit a command, and receive an on-orbit data such as SOH (State-of-Health) and mission data according to the operation plan. For this, ground station system has to be properly designed to perform a communication to with the satellite with enough up- and down-link budgets. In this study, a conceptual design of the ground station has been performed for the CubeSat named as STEP Cube Lab. (Cube Laboratory for Space Technology Experimental Project). The paper includes a ground station hardware interface design, link budget analysis and a ground station software realization. In addition, the operation plan of the ground station has been established considering the STEP Cube Lab. mission requirements.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.89-97
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• 2021

STEP Cube Lab-II (Cube Laboratory for Space Technology Experimental Project-II) is a 6U Cube satellite equipped with optical and infrared cameras for monitoring Mt. Paektu volcanic eruption signs and earth observation in the Korean peninsula. To guarantee successful mission operation of the cube satellite in orbit, thermal design is essential for the electronic equipment, and must be kept within the allowable temperature range during the mission period. Thus, it is necessary to analyze the predictable orbital thermal environment. The STEP Cube Lab-II is launched through the KSLV-II, however, the operation orbit has not been determined due to the unknown launch time. In this study, we performed a thermal analysis of the satellite and investigated the heat flux according to launch time to analyze the worst orbital conditions that could occur.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.43 no.9
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• pp.814-821
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• 2015

The STEP Cube Lab. classified as a pico-class satellite has been successfully developed as a flight model(FM) to be launched in 2015. Its mission objective is to perform the on-orbit verification of fundamental space core-technologies. In this study, a thermal design concept based on the passive method to achieve the mission objective is introduced. The effectiveness of the thermal design and performance of the satellite has been verified through the acceptance level thermal vacuum test. In addition, to improve the reliability of thermal mathematical model, correlation was performed using the results of thermal balance test. This paper describes a series of process for the thermal vacuum test on the STEP Cube Lab. FM.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.37-42
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• 2015

The CubeSats is classified as a pico-class satellite which requires a ground station to track the satellite, transmit commands, and receive an on-orbit data such as SOH (State-of-Health) and mission data according to the operation plan. In order to this, the ground station system has to be properly designed to perform a communication to with the satellite with enough up- and down-link budgets. In this study, a conceptual design of the ground station has been performed for the CubeSat named as STEP Cube Lab. (Cube Laboratory for Space Technology Experimental Project). The paper includes a ground station hardware interface design, a link budget analysis and a ground station software realization. In addition, the operation plan of the ground station has been established considering the STEP Cube Lab. mission requirements.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.430-436
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• 2014

The mission objective of STEP Cube Lab. (Cube Laboratory for Space Technology Experimental Project) classified as a pico-class satellite is to verify the technical effectiveness of payloads such as variable emittance radiator, SMA washer, oscillating heat pipe and MEMS based solid propellant thruster researched at domestic universities. In addition, the MEMS concentrating photovoltaic power system and the non-explosive holding and separation mechanism with the advantages of high constraint force and low shock level will be developed as the primary payloads for on-orbit verification. In this study, the feasibility of the mission actualization has been confirmed by the preliminary system design.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.44 no.9
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• pp.814-824
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• 2016

The mission objective of STEP Cube Lab. (Cube Laboratory for Space Technology Experimental Project) classified as a pico-class satellite is to find space core technologies researched at domestic industry or university and to verify these technologies on mission orbit. To implement this objective, system level electrical integration and function test (EIT) by using developed flight software were performed in compliance with system requirements. And the effectiveness of the flight model (FM) was verified through launch and thermal vacuum test at acceptance level. This paper will introduce a series of process of electrical function tests for FM EIT, launch and thermal vacuum tests.

• International Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.31-37
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• 2016

STEP Cube Lab (Cube Laboratory for Space Technology Experimental Project) is a 1U standardized pico-class satellite. Its main mission objective is an on-orbit verification of five fundamental core space technologies. For assuring a successful missions of the STEP Cube Lab with five payloads, electrical power subsystem (EPS) shall sufficiently provide an electrical power to payloads and bus systems of the satellite during an entire mission life. In this study, a design process of EPS system was introduced including power budget analysis considering a mission orbit and various mission modes of the satellite. In conclusion, adequate EPS hardware in compliance with design requirements were selected. The effectiveness and mission capability of EPS architecture design were confirmed through an energy balance analysis (EBA).

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 2016

Qualification model(QM) of main payloads including concentrating photovoltaic system using fresnel lens, heating wire cutting type shockless holding and release mechanism, and MEMS-based solid propellant thruster have been developed for the STEP Cube Lab.(Cube Laboratory for Space Technology Experimental Project), which is a pico-class satellite for verification of core space technologies. In this study, we have verified structural safety and functionality of the developed payloads under a qualification temperature range through the QM thermal vacuum test. Additionally, a reliability of thermal model of the payloads has been confirmed by performing a thermal correlation based on the thermal balance test results.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.42 no.9
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• pp.795-801
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• 2014

STEP Cube Lab. classified as a pico-satellite has been being developed by SSTL(Space Technology Synthesis Laboratory) in Chosun University. Its main mission objective is to perform the on-orbit verification of core space technologies, which will be the potential candidates for future space missions. In this paper, to guarantee successful mission operation of the cube satellite under extremely severe space thermal environment condition, the system level thermal design and analysis has been performed. The effectiveness of the design has been verified through on-orbit thermal analysis of cube satellite.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.27-33
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• 2014

The CubeSat, which was first launched to verify new technologies and for educational purposes, is now widely used as an educational tool since it makes possible development of manpower through practical training to produce the satellite at low development costs. At present, research and development on the CubSat is rapidly expanding in domestic and foreign universities. As one of the final 3 teams selected in the 2013 CUBE SATELLITE CONTEST organized by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, Chosun University is also currently conducting R & D of STEP Cube Lab, which is a CubeSat scheduled to be launched in 2015 and whose main task is to verify space-based technologies in orbit. The present paper tries to present an overview of the CubeSat of Chosun University whose development is being led by its undergraduate students, and further, introduce the strengths of the present development program for developing space experts, based on the educational achievements from the R & D.