Group: Adeline, Emily, and Zaire
Correlation Missions:
- Light pollution & temperature
- Light Pollution & animal population
- Light Pollution & Wildfires [plumes, CO2, Oxygen?]
- Biodiversity Loss and Species Disruption in Highly-Illuminated areas
- Testing whether groups trying to lower light pollution are accomplishing it
- Couple with studies on human sleep and health in areas with light population?
Moving towards:
- Dual-sensor Earth-pointing payload for humanitarian impact
Instruments/Sensors: Thermal Camera + Imager
Cost analysis:
- Thermal camera , imager, spectrometer cost
- Thermal camera
- Thermal imaging camera - 2,000-6000 dollars
- Imaging
- Looking into pricing, many different shapes and sizes for camera
- https://dragonflyaerospace.com/products/gecko/
- offers 1U to 6U cameras
- Spectrometer
- Standard spectrometer 3,000-8,000
- SAR
- Thermal camera
Size Analysis:
- https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/GSC-TOPS-138#:~:text=The%20need%20for%20such%20a,more%20robust%20missions%20for%20science.
- 3U for just this thermal camera
- Spectrometers
Uvsq-Sat NG (Nanosatellite for GHG monitoring)
Spectrometer occupies 1 U of payload volume
Physical dimensions: 10 × 10 × 10 cm³
Mass: 1–2 kg
Why it would be interesting to pursue:
Payload Compatibility
| Feature | 3U CubeSat (Challenging) | 6U CubeSat (Ideal) |
| Payload Volume | Approx 1.5U to 2U max. | Approx 3U to 4U max. |
| Mass Budget | Max approx 1-2 kg for combined payload. | Max approx 4-7 kg for combined payload. |
| Power Budget | Low Orbit Average Power (OAP), typically 10-20 W max. | Higher OAP, typically 20-40 W max. |
| Instrument Performance | Must accept lower spectral/spatial resolution; potentially passive (non-cryocooled) thermal imaging. | Allows for higher resolution, larger optics, and active (cryocooled) thermal imaging. |
| Data Downlink | Lower rate (e.g., 9.6 kbps VHF/UHF), limiting data collected. | Higher rate (e.g., up to 4.3 Mbps S-band), supporting large science data files. |