Determination of Mass Properties for the VX-SAT Communication Satellite

Abstract:

The determination of a spacecraft’s mass properties is critical during its conceptual design phase. Obtaining reliable mass property information, early in the design of a spacecraft, could prevent design mistakes that can be extremely costly in the development process. The process of the determination of the mass properties consist in a systematic work, that include the taking part of all the sub systems or design teams that conforms the preliminary tasks for the design of the communications satellite. The VX-SAT project is a system engineering exercise, realized in the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) like training for the future designs in communication satellites for the Bolivarian Agency of Space Activities (ABAE) in Venezuela. This paper aim to show an analysis of the procedures in the calculation of the mass properties in communication satellite using suitable software’s and the importance of the process to collect the mass budget information to get the more reliable results. Also includes an overview of the VX-SAT system, the preliminary design of the structure requirements and finally the methods used to the analysis of the general determination of the mass properties with its results.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 110-116)
• Pages: 415-422
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.110-116.415
• Online since: October 2011
• Authors: Jose Alvarez
• Keywords: CoG: Center of Gravity, Mass Balance, Mass Properties, Moment of Inertia

References

[1] P. Fortescue, and J. Stark, Spacecraft Systems Engineering, 2nd ed., p.237, (1995).

[2] China Academy of Space Technology, Structure of Communications Satellite, Space Technology International Training Series, (2006).

[3] China Academy of Space Technology, Mechanical Subsystem of Spacecraft, Space Technology International Training Series, (2005).

[4] China Academy of Space Technology, Introduction to the Spacecraf Engineeringt, Space Technology International Training Series, (2005).