Fall 2019 - Spring 2021
Work Field:
Student Engineering Team
Roles:
FEA Thermal Analysis
The REALOP (Remote Experimentation and Analysis of Low Orbit Phenomena) is a 2U CubeSat demonstration mission by the University of California, Davis, for education and to inspire the next generation of engineers, mathematicians, physicists, scientists, programmers, and innovators. The CubeSat's primary mission in orbit is to perform as an imaging platform used to study Earth's oceans, forests, and atmosphere.
With a full project team of 100+ members, communication between sub-teams is required to appropriately design parts, gauge performance, and have a successful mission.
Thermal Analysis
I worked as a member of the thermal analysis subteam where we analyzed the thermal performance of the CubeSat. Each circuit component has a corresponding operating temperature it must be within to function properly. The CubeSat's aluminum shell and frame were monitored for high-temperature fluctuations which would cause physical stresses which would jeopardize the structural integrity. My team utilized two different software with FEA analysis methods to perform our thermal analysis.
SolidWorks:
My team initially began our thermal analysis process using SolidWorks simulations and the full CAD model produced by our structure's team. Radiation loads were applied to designated faces to simulate incoming radiation from the solar flux, Earth albedo, and IR rays reflected from Earth. This method was slow and inefficient to simulate the full timeframe of our mission.
ThermalDesktop:
We transitioned to ThermalDesktop which allowed for better simulation of a longer mission using a simplified model. This FEA solution allowed the use of orbital data for incoming radiation rather than direct data entry. Learning this program proved to be a long journey so our focus switched to creating simplified documentation to assist future members of the subteam.
