Seminar: Using Data-of-Opportunity to Explore Spacecraft Aerodynamics in Very Low Earth Orbit - Nov. 21
Marcin Pilinski
Research Associate, LASP
Friday, Nov. 21 | 10:40 A.M. | AERO 111
Abstract:The Compact Spectral Irradiance Monitor (CSIM) was launched in December 2018 and collected data through 2021.Ìý CSIM was decommissioned at the end of 2022 and in hibernation until May of 2025, when a team of CU-LASP operations engineers regained control of the spacecraft to perform experiments related to flight in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). At altitudes below 350 km, aerodynamic drag acceleration causes rapid changes in orbital parameters and leads to several operational challenges that will be highlighted in this talk. Our team combined attitude data from CSIM with Space Force orbital observations to characterize the aerodynamic properties of the CubeSat as it re-entered. In addition to this, LASP performed doppler observations of CSIM to investigate how orbit tracking can be enhanced over standard two-line element (TLE) data. In this talk we will introduce some of the concepts behind aerodynamics in the rarefied gas environment of low earth orbit. We then present the results of the CSIM aerodynamic investigation and a few operational lessons related to flight below 350 km altitude. We also compare Doppler corrected TLE's with standard TLE's available from Space-Track and discuss future work to help specify rapidly evolving orbits in this region. Finally, using lessons learned from the CSIM experience, we design an experimental approach for studying aerodynamics in LEO using additional data-of-opportunity or on dedicated CubeSat missions.ÌýÌý
Bio: Dr. Marcin Pilinski is a research associate in the space plasma group at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado, Boulder. His research interests include aeronomy, satellite drag modeling, spacecraft gas-surface interactions, and data assimilation. His recent projects include: the design of assimilation and forecasting schemes for specifying the space environment; Mars ionosphere-thermosphere research utilizing data from NASA’s MAVEN mission; development of a thermospheric neutral wind sensor; teaching a graduate CubeSat design course at Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder; and exploring spacecraft gas-surface interaction near and above the oxygen helium transition. He is part of the Langmuir Probe instrument team on MAVEN and of SWx TREC’s satellite drag research group as well as the lead of the Vehicle Environment Coupling and Trajectory Response (VECTOR) initiative.