Mission Objectives

The TJ REVERB will compare multiple radio systems for the purpose of education and creating a best practices document.

Media

Pictures/Videos

Design	Feasibility Presentation	Balloon Test Launch

Education Objectives

The TJ REVERB project is an inherently educational endeavor for TJHSST students. Students do not regularly encounter such large scale and intensive group projects in the classroom. The TJ REVERB provides students the opportunity to learn how to function within subsystems and cooperate within a large team.

Subsystem Objectives

TJ students who are directly involved with the design and implementation of the satellite will learn how to function in smaller groups with specific tasks known as subsystems. Together these teams will cooperate inside and outside the classroom setting for TJ REVERB.

Communciations

The Comms subgroup is primarily responsible for evaluating and handling the communications systems on the Cubesat. The 2U CubeSat (TJREVERB) is predicated on testing the communications systems onboard. On this CubeSat, we will be testing two types of radios: one simplex UHF radio and one duplex UHF/VHF radio. The subsystem is responsible for pre-testing the radios as well.

Attitude Determination and Control Systems (ADCS)

The Attitude Determination and Control Systems team develops simulations that will predict TJ REVERB’s orbit and attitude. Through the construction of a Helmholtz Coil, creation of control algorithms in MATLAB, and research into magnetorquer bars, the ADCS team makes sure that the satellite is successfully controlled while it is in orbit.

Software

The Software subgroup exists to assist all other subgroups with any software related tasks. Our responsibilities include: maintaining the TJREVERB website to create awareness for TJREVERB, programming the flight computer of TJREVERB, performing TJREVERB outreach (programming focused or otherwise), and any other miscellaneous software-related tasks assigned to us by other groups. Software Image Goes Here

Outreach

The Outreach team is designed to bring the TJREVERB project to those outside of the team. It is part of NASA’s mission and our own. We will be performing documentation for the team, so that we have records of the decisions made and the reasoning behind them. The team’s primary goal is to organize a workshop for teams from local schools where they will build mock CubeSats and learn about our project.

Outreach Initiatives

Field trips

• Trip to Naval Academy: To learn about their CubeSat Department and present a version of the proposal
• Trip to Goddard Space Center: To learn about NASA operations

Presentations

• TJ Students presented to Korean exchange students
• Presentation at Holmes Run Middle School
• TJ Students presented at French high school while travelling

CAD

The CAD/Structural group will be focused more on creation of the 3U chassis (google “3U chassis cubesat” for more insight). For the 2U, we will be using AutoDesk Fusion and OnShape create a computer aided design. As we have recieved most of our parts, we have created computer models to simulate the components and how they will fit together.

Testing

The purpose of the Thermal Control and Testing team is to ensure that the CubeSat survives in the environment of space. This includes ensuring that CubeSat internal components do not freeze or overheat due to the extreme cold and high heat fluxes in a Low Earth Orbit environment. Generally, the Thermal Control and Testing team requires information pertaining to the various electronic parts within the CubeSat, including their temperature tolerances and their respective efficiencies (to estimate heat output). Material specifics (thickness, type, etc.) are also necessary, for both vibration and thermal testing. To that end, the team will occasionally make contact with the other teams to determine these characteristics. While team members need not know how to conduct every type of testing, they should have some basic knowledge of mechanics and thermal physics. Knowledge of Autodesk Fusion 360 and MATLAB is also appreciated.

Electronics

The electronics subgroup of the TJ REVERB cubesat team helps test and manage the power supply, solar panels, attitude control, and overall power distribution of the Cubesat. Many of the electrical components will be donated to TJ from commercial partners. As such, a majority of the focus on the team will be connecting components and making sure that the system works correctly in an integrated manner. This will be accomplished through the development of a Helmholtz coil for testing attitude control, the construction of a clean room, and other electrical tests.

TJHSST

• Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is a Northern Virginia public magnet high school. The official site of TJHSST can be found here.
• In 2013, TJHSST became the first high school worldwide to succesfully launch a CubeSat into space, with the TJ3Sat project, which can be found here.
• 3 years later in 2016, the work on TJ's next satellite officially begun with TJ REVERB.

Important Documents

• The Merit Review, which contains the outline and specifications of TJREVERB, can be found here.
• The Feasibility Review, which outlines the logistics and overall feasibility of the TJREVERB project, can be found here.
• The APRS Radio Guide which details the process of setting up the APRS radio, can be found here.