CubeSpec is an in-orbit demonstration CubeSat mission in the ESA GSTP programme, developed and funded by the Belgian federal space policy BELSPO. The goal of the mission is to demonstrate high-spectral-resolution astronomical spectroscopy from a 12-unit CubeSat. The technological challenges are numerous. The optical payload, consisting of an off-axis Cassegrain telescope and a compact Echelle spectrometer have been designed to fit in the bigger half of a 12U CubeSat (12x20x30cm). The telescope is built entirely from a ceramic material to limit defocusing when the spacecraft thermal environment changes. The payload radiator is shielded from the Sun via a deploying Sun shade, allowing pointing to a large part of the sky without illuminating the radiator panel. The high resolution spectrograph requires arcsecond-level pointing stability. This is achieved using a performant 3-axis wheel stabilised attitude control system with two star trackers augmented with a piezo-actuated 3-axis fine beam steering mechanism in the payload. CubeSpec is now starting the implementation phase, with a planned launch in 2026. A qualification and a flight model are being constructed and tested. We give an overview of the mission, its technologies and qualification status.
KU Leuven’s CubeSpec mission is pioneering the use of a CubeSat platform for advanced space-based spectroscopy.1 This innovation is partly due to its payload electronics, which must be space-efficient and powerconscious. To achieve exceptional pointing accuracy, CubeSpec employs a High-Pointing Precision Platform (HPPP) that works in tandem with the onboard Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS). The HPPP utilizes a Fine Steering Mirror (FSM), controlled by piezo actuators, to direct light precisely onto the spectrograph slit. The design incorporates a DC-DC boost converter and a linear amplifier to meet the highvoltage demands of the piezo actuators. The HPPP setup is controlled in a closed-loop system with a Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS), a CMOS detector, and strain gauges that provide real-time feedback. The spectrograph output is captured by the Science Detector, which is the same detector model as the FGS. Due to stringent time requirements, a Xilinx Zynq 7000 FPGA manages the detector readout. The payload processor can communicate with the OBC over a CAN bus employing the CubeSat Space Protocol. This paper outlines the current progression in the development of CubeSpec’s payload electronics.
CubeSpec is an ESA in-orbit-demonstration mission, based on a 12U CubeSat, targeting high-resolution optical astronomical spectroscopy of bright targets. It is developed and funded in Belgium and scheduled for launch early 2026. The CubeSpec payload consists of an off-axis Cassegrain telescope with a rectangular aperture filling the surface area of two CubeSat units, followed by a prism cross-dispersed echelle spectrograph folded behind the primary mirror of the telescope. The complete optical payload fits in approximately 6 units (∼12 x 20 x 30 cm) of the spacecraft. CubeSpec delivers a spectral resolution of R = 55 000 and covers the wavelength range from 420 to 620 nm. The optical design is sufficiently flexible to allow tuning it with minimum hardware changes to a wide range of spectral resolution and coverage. A fine-guidance system consisting of a piezo-actuated fine steering mirror and a fine-guidance sensor provide arcsec-precise centering of the source image on the slit of the spectrograph, cancelling out pointing errors and spacecraft jitter. In this contribution, we describe the optical and optomechanical design of the CubeSpec payload, and discuss the challenged imposed by the extremely compact size and the large temperature excursions endured during each orbit.
CubeSpec is an ESA in-orbit-demonstration mission, based on a 6U CubeSat, targeting high-resolution astronomical spectroscopy. It is developed and funded in Belgium and scheduled for launch at the end of 2024. The CubeSpec payload consists of an off-axis Cassegrain telescope with a rectangular aperture (186x82mm2 ) and a prism cross-dispersed echelle spectrograph. The telescope aperture almost completely covers the surface area of 2 CubeSat units and the entire optical system fits in 4 units (10x20x20cm) of the spacecraft. CubeSpec delivers a spectral resolution of R=55000 and covers the wavelength range from 420 to 620 nm. Furthermore, it is equipped with a fine-guidance system based on a fast beam-steering mirror and a fine-guidance sensor that provide accurate centering of the source image on the spectrograph slit to compensate for spacecraft pointing jitter. In this contribution, we present the optical design of the CubeSpec payload.
CubeSpec is an in-orbit demonstration CubeSat mission in the ESA technology programme, developed and funded in Belgium. The goal of the mission is to demonstrate high-spectral-resolution astronomical spectroscopy from a 6-unit CubeSat. The technological challenges are numerous. The telescope and echelle spectrometer have been designed to fit in a 10×10×20cm volume. The fast telescope focus and spectrometer alignment is achieved via an athermal design. Shielding from the Sun and Earth infrared flux is achieved via deploying Earth and Sun shades. Arcsecond-level pointing stability is achieved using a performant 3-axis wheel stabilised attitude control system with star tracker augmented with a fine beam steering mechanism. CubeSpec is now starting the implementation phase, with a planned launch in 2024. A qualification and a flight model will be constructed and tested in the next 2 years. In this contribution we will give an overview of the mission, its technologies and qualification status.
CUBESPEC is an ESA in-orbit demonstration 6U CubeSat mission, currently in phase A/B. CUBESPEC will deliver months long series of high-resolution spectroscopy to study the structure of massive stars. The payload consists of a Cassegrain telescope with a rectangular primary mirror of 9 x 19 cm2 and a compact high-resolution echelle spectrograph. We aim at a 2023 launch demonstrating the CUBESPEC concept: providing the astronomical community with a generic solution for affordable space-based spectroscopy. The spectrograph design can be configured with minimal hardware changes for low spectral resolution (R = 50) up to high resolution (R ~ 50000) over a over wavelength ranges between 200–1000nm. CUBESPEC will use the KU Leuven ADCS for coarse pointing of the spacecraft, supplemented with a fine-guidance system using a fast steering mirror to center the source on the spectrograph slit. We present the CUBESPEC design and mission analysis, and give an update of the project status.
CubeSats are routinely used for low-cost photometry from space. Space-borne spectroscopy, however, is still the exclusive domain of much larger platforms. Key astrophysical questions in e.g. stellar physics and exoplanet research require uninterrupted spectral monitoring from space over weeks or months. Such monitoring of individual sources is unfortunately not affordable with these large platforms. With CUBESPEC we plan to offer the astronomical community a low-cost CubeSat solution for near-UV/optical/near-IR spectroscopy that enables this type of observations.
CUBESPEC is a generic spectrograph that can be configured with minimal hardware changes to deliver both low resolution (R = 100) with very large spectral coverage (200 - 1000 nm), as well as high resolution (R = 30 000) over a selected wavelength range. It is built around an off-axis Cassegrain telescope and a slit spectrograph with configurable dispersion elements. CUBESPEC will use a compact attitude determination and control system for coarse pointing of the entire spacecraft, supplemented with a fine-guidance system using a fast steering mirror to center the source on the spectrograph slit and to cancel out satellite jitter. An extremely compact optical design allows us to house this instrument in a 6U CubeSat with a volume of only 10 × 20 × 30 cm3 , while preserving a maximized entrance pupil of ca. 9 × 19 cm2 . In this contribution, we give an overview of the CUBESPEC project, discuss its most relevant science cases, and present the design of the instrument.
CubeSat technology is evolving rapidly. With the increased performance of these small spacecraft platforms, astronomical missions on CubeSats will be flown in the near future. These types of missions have very demanding requirements in terms of spacecraft pointing. At the KU Leuven university, we have developed a compact, highaccuracy attitude determination and control system for CubeSats. The system uses three reaction wheels and a star tracker to deliver high agility and accuracy. In this paper, we will discuss the test and calibration campaign that was carried out. This campaign was instrumental in achieving the performance required by astronomical missions.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.