Distortion Torques Analysis for CubeSats (IEEE Published)

The 1U CubeSat technology in the Altiplano region is mainly designed for those countries aiming to increase their research capabilities through spatial missions in order to perform experimentation and observation in the area with Commercialoff-the-shelf components. This article presents the atmospheric density and magnetic field values estimation results at 200[km] altitude, obtained with pressure, temperature, and magnetic field data gathered through a low-cost experiment launched in a stratospheric balloon in the Altiplano region. Furthermore, the materials and engineering methods used to design and conduct the experimentation procedures are shown, too. Additionally, the estimation results were used to simulate the kinematic behavior of a 1U CubeSat under maximum disturbance torques modeled as a random Gaussian vector, showing an acceptable pointing performance. Another remarkable aspect addressed during this research is the data gathering in the Altiplano region, which is located within the South Atlantic anomaly. In that regard, it is expected that this research will become valuable for countries in this area working on improving their space development programs.