Debdeep Roychowdhury

Tasks: • Separation strategy and relative drift estimation of twin nanosatellites from Upper Stage to ensure post-deployment collision free operations. • Reconfiguration/formation keeping (GNC operations) of the nanosatellites into a passively safe Helix orbit. • Creation/modification, calibration, testing and validation of sensors, sensor drivers, sensor data fusion, pointing modes and AOCS algorithms. • Precise in-orbit relative and absolute positioning of nanosatellites using raw GNSS data.

DLR project on the formation flight analysis of two 2U CubeSats using resistojet thrusters with limited delta-v budget for technology demonstration. Tasks: Collision analysis after upper stage deployment; drift analysis during commissioning period; delta-v requirements for phasing/rendezvous using low-thrust propulsion system; feasibility of different formation flight configurations e.g. along-track, in-track, projected circular orbit and helical orbit; attitude determination and control simulations.

Tasks: Preparation, conduction and results analysis of thermal test campaigns (thermal cycling and thermal vacuum) of satellite components; laboratory’s plan and machine configurations; development of semi-automatized tools for post-processing test results data.

Master Thesis on Orbit Control and Attitude Determination of a Nanosatellite (DriveSat) with Vacuum Arc Thrusters. Department: Norman and Helen Asher Space Research Institute Tasks: Preliminary Design of a 2U CubeSat; orbit control analysis; attitude determination methodology (using an Extended Kalman Filter); thrust estimation from attitude and mean semi-major axis change.

3D - Modelling of pipe valves (manufactured by KITZ Corporation) using CAD (SolidWorks) from 2D design sheets