Related papers: MICROSCOPE Satellite and its Drag-Free and Attitud…
We build a statistical framework to infer the global properties of the satellite system of the Andromeda galaxy (M31) from the properties of individual dwarf galaxies located in the Pan-Andromeda Archaelogical Survey (PAndAS) and the…
We report the discovery of a new detached, double white dwarf system with an orbital period of 39.8 min. We targeted SDSS J163030.58+423305.8 (hereafter J1630) as part of our radial velocity program to search for companions around low-mass…
Microquasars are accreting binary systems displaying relativistic radio jets where very high energy gamma rays might be produced via Inverse Compton scattering. The detection of the microquasar Cygnus X-3 above 100 MeV by both Fermi/LAT and…
We report an actuation/detection scheme with a top-down nano-electromechanical system for frequency shift-based sensing applications with outstanding performance. It relies on electrostatic actuation and piezoresistive nanowire gauges for…
With the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA working to return humans to the moon and onwards to Mars, it has never been more important to study the impact of altered gravity conditions on biological organisms. These include astronauts but…
In this work, we achieve propellantless control of both cross-track and along-track separation of a satellite formation by manipulating atmospheric drag. Increasing the differential drag of one satellite with respect to another directly…
The Micro-Imaging Dust Analysis System (MIDAS) atomic force microscope (AFM) onboard the Rosetta orbiter was the first such instrument launched into space in 2004. Designed only a few years after the technique was invented, MIDAS is…
Fully re-orientable small spacecraft are now supported by commercial technologies, allowing them to point their instruments in any direction and capture images, with short notice. When combined with improved onboard processing, and…
We introduce a stellar velocity survey of dwarf spheroidal galaxies, undertaken using the Michigan/MIKE Fiber System (MMFS) at the Magellan/Clay 6.5 m telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. As of 2006 November we have used MMFS to collect…
This paper describes the process and challenges behind the design and development of a micro-gravity enabling aerial robot. The vehicle, designed to provide at minimum 4 seconds of micro-gravity at an accuracy of .001 g's, is designed with…
Differential drag is a promising option to control the relative motion of distributed satellites in the Very Low Earth Orbit regime which are not equipped with dedicated thrusting devices. A major downside of the methodology, however, is…
Testing the aerodynamics of micro- and nano-UAVs without actually flying is highly challenging. To address this issue, we introduce Open Gimbal, a specially designed 3 Degrees of Freedom platform that caters to the unique requirements of…
The attitude stabilization of a micro-satellite employing a variable-amplitude cold gas thruster which reflects as a time varying gain on the control input is considered. Existing literature uses a persistence filter based approach that…
With advancements in low-cost launchers and small interplanetary spacecraft, NASA has recognized the potential of small missions to perform focused planetary science investigations at Mars and Venus. The EscaPADE, part of the NASA SIMPLEx…
The paper describes an electronic multiprocessor system that assures functionality of a miniature UAV capable of 3D flying. The apparatus consists of six independently controlled brushless DC motors, each having a propeller attached to it.…
Flexible spacecraft structures present significant challenges for physical and control system design due to nonlinear dynamics, mission constraints, environmental variables, and changing operational conditions. This paper presents a…
Nano-size drones hold enormous potential to explore unknown and complex environments. Their small size makes them agile and safe for operation close to humans and allows them to navigate through narrow spaces. However, their tiny size and…
The equations governing motion of the satellite under the effect of oblateness of Earth and atmospheric drag have been simulated, for a fixed initial position and three different initial velocities, till satellite collapses on Earth.…
A novel over-the-air computation (AirComp) framework empowered by movable antennas (MAs) is proposed to significantly enhance computation accuracy. Within this framework, the joint optimization of transmit power control, antenna…
In this paper, attitude maneuver control without unwinding phenomenon is investigated for rigid spacecraft. First, a novel switching function is constructed by a hyperbolic sine function. It is shown that the spacecraft system possesses the…