Generating Payload Ideas

Methods of Generating Ideas

In general, the payload ideas are generated by the following means:

• Original ideas from team members (rare)
• Ideas inspired from literature survey of other student satellites
• Ideas suggested by faculty members/ scientists/ industry contacts etc.
• Ideas obtained from papers or books like Achieving Science with CubeSats

Domains to explore for suitable ideas

The above categories provide directions that should be followed by a team looking for suitable payload ideas for their satellite. The above points give the means for generating payload ideas. However, there are infinite directions in which these means could be employed. To make the work simpler, here are a few directions which can help make the payload selection process more systematic. Individual sub-teams can look for payload ideas specifically in one particular direction. Please note that the below mentioned domains are not exhaustive (though common and popular) and you can always explore other domains in your search for a suitable idea.

Technology Demonstration

A lot of new technologies are emerging to make cubesats more efficient and cheaper. Developments are in the direction to enable cubesats to provide the services which are presently provided by larger satellites. These new developments can be tested in lab by simulating space environment but it will not be as satisfactory as testing directly in orbit. Cubesats can be used to test these new technologies in space environment in a cost-effective manner and then these technologies can be used in all other satellites, small or large. These technologies need not only be the miniature version of those used on large satellite. Some are developed explicitly for cubesats. Examples of technology demonstration payloads:

• Demonstrating de-orbiting of a satellite using an ion-thruster
• Demonstrating formation flying using a constellation of three satellites
• Demonstrating the use of passive control using permanent magnets for attitude stabilization of a satellite

Space Qualification

This implies establishing that a new component/ instrument or material can work in space. For a payload like this, one would be interested in knowing how the critical parameters/properties of the entity meant to be space qualified change throughout the lifetime of the satellite. Typical examples include:

• Qualifying a new solar cell in space
• Qualifying a new sensor

Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing involves collecting information about the earth's surface, vegetation, forest cover, oceans, ecology etc. through satellites. It also has applications in defence, military, economic planning etc. Some examples of payloads in this domain are:

• Hyperspectral imaging of the earth for defence applications
• Ground penetrating radar for sub-surface measurements

Communication

This is self-explanatory. A satellite that enables communication between two or more people on earth is a communication satellite. A repeater satellite is a good example of a Communication satellite.

Exploration

This domain refers to satellites which help let us know more about the universe. Since student satellites are generally restricted to Low Earth Orbits (LEO), one cannot actually travel to a different celestial body for exploration purposes. However, a lot can be done while still orbiting the earth. Some examples are:

• Characterizing the meteor strikes on the lunar surface
• Observing the X-ray pattern from an accretion disc around a blackhole

Disaster Management

This includes satellites launched to detect and warn about natural calamities and/or man-made disasters. Examples could include:

• Forest fire detection using infrared imaging
• Cyclone detection

Atmospheric Studies

Here again, the name is self-explanatory. Examples include:

• Aerosol measurement
• Total Electron Count measurement in the ionosphere (Pratham's payload)

Stating again, these domains are not exhaustive and you can look at other upcoming domains like microgravity experiments in satellites for pharmaceutical applications, etc.

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Once you are done reading this page, you can move on to Feasibility Analysis of Payloads