Last month, we successfully completed our first major test campaign—a significant milestone bringing us one step closer to our mission of operating CubeSats in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). These tests are grounded in the theoretical foundations established by our team’s scientific research.
Why this matters
A crucial missing piece for aerodynamic attitude control in VLEO is the characterization of particle interactions caused by incoming atmospheric particles impacting control surfaces. To investigate this phenomenon in greater detail, CAPTIS collaborated with the Aerospace Institute at Technical University Dresden to expose material samples to a hypersonic flow within a VLEO simulation chamber. This allowed us to study the transmitted forces and the degradation of the materials due to highly corrosive atomic oxygen.
Who backed us?
The test campaign was financially supported by the Dr. Stefan Weiße Foundation, which covered material and operating costs. Previous funding allowed us to undertake essential preliminary work, such as designing a remote-control system for the test setup. The material samples were processed in the Materials Technology Laboratory of the Institute of Materials Technology at HTW Dresden and measured at the Chair of Manufacturing Metrology. After fabricating the test rig, ensuring its vacuum compatibility, and conducting preliminary tests outside the vacuum chamber, we carried out the main tests over three days.
Further Steps
We are currently analyzing the results. We aim to integrate these findings into our simulation software to align the theoretical values with the experimental data. This alignment will lay an important theoretical foundation, allowing us to adjust our control algorithm and laboratory model accordingly.
We sincerely thank all parties involved for their tremendous support and are excited to have moved one step closer to realizing VLEO operations.
