Gauss14

Gestartet:	25.7.2014
Involvierte:	Uberhaxlor
Status:	active
Beschreibung:	femtosatellite launching platform
Shutdownprozedur:
Zuletzt aktualisiert:	2015-03-09

Gauss14

The Gauss14 is a femtosatellite launch platform.

Launcher

Based on the University of Austin Texas design for the SPEAR coilgun. Current goal is to launch projectiles with a mass of up to 10 grams. A SMES device (Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage) is the most viable option for storing the launchers energy.

Satellite

The femtosatellite will most likely be based on the CubeSat or ArduSat, electronics must be hardend due to high g-forces during launch (up to several hundred g).

Propulsion

A propulsion system without reaction mass is preferable. (tether propusion)

A cooperation with other open source or non profit space programs is desireable.

Projectile

The first Prototype is a very cheap, reusable Projectile, launched not electromagnetically but by balloon or conventional chemical propulsion.

Guidance

Requirements

Highspeed realtime positioning and Trajectory correction
Radiation, temperature and g-force hardened
Ultra low weight
Long range low power radio

First choice for the autopilot would be the Lisa/S board for $300.

Alternatively a custom prototype board could also be developed for about €5 to €50.

Control

No suitable light weight solution found yet.

Capsule

Heat and Radiation shielded light weight capsule with integrated miniaturized parachute system.

Major Challenges

Efficiency

Is currently the biggest challenge. Almost all Coilgun designs suffer from low efficiency of only 3 to 9 percent due to losses in the magnetic field and the projectile.

SMES funding

The SMES is still in active research and apperently only a few prototypes are in existence. Aquiring (buying or borrowing one) might be difficult and expensive.