Publications related to Astrocast (fka Else)

Microstrip patch antennas with broad beamwidth

Microstrip antennas offer a broad set of advantages such as low profile, light weight, easy fabrication and low cost. As these are desirable or even critical for a broad range of applications, there has been a large interest for these antennas in the anten ...

EPFL2023

Design of an intake and a thruster for an atmosphere-breathing electric propulsion system

Francesco Romano, Thomas Binderup Jensen

Challenging space missions include those at very low altitudes, where the atmosphere is the source of aerodynamic drag on the spacecraft, that finally defines the mission's lifetime, unless a way to compensate for it is provided. This environment is named ...

2022

Biomechanics at the workplace under hypogravity conditions

Tatiana Maillard

The main goal of my research is to establish guidelines for workplace design based on human biomechanics: specifically sitting workplaces and handling areas in 1/6G-1/3G (Moon, Mars) conditions. Such a workplace could be used in long-term space missions in ...

EPFL2022

Intensifying space activity calls for increased scrutiny of risks

Romain Buchs

As the pace of space activities accelerates and societies become more reliant on space-based systems, the associated risks deserve more attention. Satellites form a critical infrastructure on which military, civil and commercial entities rely. The services ...

EPFL International Risk Governance Center2021

Antennas for CubeSat Communication

Miroslav Veljovic

CubeSats are a type of small satellites (< 500 kg) that weigh several kilograms and consist of multiple Units (U) measuring 100 × 100 × 113.5 mm3. CubeSats emerged as a low-cost alternative to conventional large satellites, and have since demonstrated capa ...

EPFL2020

X-ray pulsar-based GNC system for formation flying in high Earth orbits

Volker Gass, Camille Sébastien Pirat

In this paper, comprehensive pulsar-based Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) system is designed and applied to satellites formation flying. The complete autonomy of the X-ray pulsar navigation technology provides both absolute and relative positioning ...

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD2020

Guidance, Navigation and Control for Autonomous Cooperative Docking of CubeSats

Volker Gass, Camille Sébastien Pirat, Pierre-Alain Mäusli

Is it possible to dock CubeSats in Low Earth Orbit? The challenges are mainly associated with the level of miniaturisation. A docking mechanism was designed, built and tested in the laboratory. Results show that a relative precision better than 1 cm and 2 ...

2018

Guidance, Navigation and Control for Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking of Nano-Satellites

Camille Sébastien Pirat

Is it possible to dock CubeSats in Low Earth Orbit? Challenges are associated with the level of miniaturisation: the docking accuracy is driven by the docking mechanism dimensions. The achievable docking performance with the Guidance, Navigation and Contro ...

EPFL2018

Periodic cellular aluminum structures for space applications : from casting to additive manufacturing

Florian Thibaut Gallien

Mass is one of the crucial parameters for hardware that has to be placed in Earth orbit. Due to its harsh environment, a material with highest specific properties is desired to achieve space missions. The rise and development of new technologies, such as a ...

EPFL2018

High accuracy GNSS based navigation in GEO

Pierre-André Farine, Cyril Botteron, Vincenzo Capuano, Paul David Blunt, Endrit Shehaj

Although significant improvements in efficiency and performance of communication satellites have been achieved in the past decades, it is expected that the demand for new platforms in Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and for the On-Orbit Servicing (OOS) on the ex ...

Elsevier2017