SharjahSat-1 thermal analysis for orbit-launch selection

SharjahSat-1 is a collaborative research project by the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Science, and Technology (SAASST), University of Sharjah (UoS), Istanbul Technical University (ITU), and Sabanci University (SU). The 3U+ CubeSat will implement an improved X-ray Detector (iXRD) as the primary payload, and a secondary payload system of two optical cameras. The X-ray detector's objective is to detect hard X-rays from very bright X-ray sources, and to study the solar coronal holes, whereas the camera system will provide a low-resolution remote sensing application. Sharjah-Sat-1 would be the first CubeSat mission to be developed by the SAASST team and UoS students, aiming to build capacities and expertise of much value for the following future CubeSat missions. The thermal analysis of the Sharjah-Sat-1 is a crucial step to assure the safety of the internal systems of the satellite from the harsh conditions of outer space. Each component of the satellites has different operating temperature requirements. Since passive thermal control methods are mostly used for smaller satellites, and no means of active thermal control systems are to be used on Sharjah-Sat-1, it is critical to ensure that each component would remain in the allowable temperature range that it was designed to operate in throughout the satellite's mission. According to the two different orbits chosen based on the suitable launching options available in the Q1 of 2021 and Q2 of 2021, a detailed thermal model of Sharjah-Sat-1 is developed using commercial software. The simulations are carried out to help evaluate mission viability in different orbits in relation to subsystems' temperature limits. The thermal tests will be performed to support modeling and analysis in the thermal vacuum chamber of ITU-Space Systems Design and Test Laboratory. The simulated scenarios on the different orbits will enable us to choose the best orbit to assure the safety of the satellite's internal systems since an appropriate thermal analysis design could potentially save the mission from failure and extend the mission lifetime. Both analyzed orbits are found to be adequate for the mission.