Space Craft Capabilities - USAFA

Current Projects

• Falcon Sat VII
• Experimental optical satellite
• Testing prototype “Photon Sieve” lens to image the sun.
  • Photon Sieve is a thin Mylar-like membrane with billions of tiny holes that use quantum mechanical effects to focus electromagnetic radiation (i.e. light) as a thick, heavy glass lens would.
• Dr. Musick and Mr. Wilson are assisting USAFA Cadets design, develop, test and operate many of the avionics (flight control systems) for this satellite
  
• STPSat 3
• A satellite being constructed with Ball Aerospace as the prime, the STPSat 3 instrument being provided by USAFA: Space Physics and Atmospheric Research Center (SPARC) is called iMESA-R
• iMESA-R is an electrical instrument designed to measure how much plasma is out there and how fast it is moving (plasma densities and energies)
• Dr. Musick and Mr. Wilson are assisting in the design and implementation of the control electronics and software through all phases of construction and test
  
• ALICE
• ALICE is an experimental satellite using an array (more than one) iMESA setup (described in the STPSat 3 slide) to test effectiveness of using Nanotubes (very small straws) to produce beams of electrons.
• iMESA is being used to measure the number and speed of electrons that get produced
• Dr. Musick and Mr. Wilson are assisting in the deign and implementation of the control electronics and software through all phases of construction
  
• RENU (Rocket Experiment for Neutral Upwelling)
  • MEMS neutral instrument (MANG)
    
• Cerebus
  • Cerebus is another iMESA instrument that will be launched with the last space shuttle launch. It will then be attached to the outside of the International Space Station and used to measure the plasma characteristics (density and energy… again) of the gas nearby spacecraft let out to make them move (thrust plumes)
  • Mr. Wilson will operate the instrument and help with data analysis
    
• Falcon Launch T1
  • Falcon Launch T1 is a USAFA Cadet program that focuses on building and testing (launching) a rocket
  • Dr. Musick is the primary engineer in charge of the avionics of the Falcon Launch project

Past Projects

• Gravity field Modeling
  • Created a Complete model of the gravitational field of the Milky Way Galaxy using theoretical a gravity solution
  • Described the destruction of a dwarf satellite galaxy based on model
• Electron mass measurements
  • Used variable resistance to measure small changes in the mass of electrons
• VITA Radio Link Layer Standard communication
• USAFA rocket program avionics and satellite avionics
  
• Electron mass measurements
• Plasma electron density measurement
• Satellite bus communication
• Space avionics design
• Teaching USAFA cadets

Subject Matter Expertise in ...

• Engineering Design
• Data / Communications Systems
• Database design, development and sustainment
• Physics
• Electrical Electronic Engineering
• Energy and Alternative Energy
• UAV
• Space Systems & Technology