ParkinsonSAT: The Parkinson Satellite, with design and construction funded in part by a grant from Aerospace Corporation, in honor of Dr Parkinson of GPS fame is a dedicated satellite transponder for the relay of remote environmental sensor and other low duty-cycle data. The spacecraft carries two transponders, one serving the Ocean Data Telemetry Microsat Link (ODTML) mission for DOD and the other operating in the Amateur Satellite Service to encourage students, educators and experimenters around the world to contribute buoys or additional satellities. Encouraging such experimentation would fit well in the ITU rules (see Psat justification) for operating in this service and well serve our educational and outreach mission. See our ocean or bay oceanographic data buoys

CUBESAT MODEL: In 2008, we are re-designing ParkinsonSAT to fit inside the specifications for a 1.5 unit cubesat so that two Psats can be launched from the same P-Pod launcher. The design uses four deployable solar arrays which are stowed down the sides in the pre-deploy state as shown to the right. Also, half of the 1.5 unit Psat is available for auxilliary payloads or experiments as shown on the right here in yellow. The prior model was a much larger 1 cubic foot spacecraft.

Global Experimental Data Channel: ParkinsonSAT is the space segment of this initiative to encourage both new satellite construction in support of this experimental data channel and lower cost buoy and sensor experimentation at other schools as shown below. Today, the only AMSAT that is available for no cost to schools with such experiments are the Naval Academy's PCSATs. But with ParkinsonSAT we hope to commence an ongoing full time presence in space to continue this support of the 145.825 data uplink channel for future experiments. To this end we hope other schools to either build additional 145.825 MHz relay satellites and/or to build experimental sensors. The complete comms system including data transponder fits on one 3.4 inch square card shown below. We hope that ParkinsonSAT will be the Egg in this chicken-egg conundrum.

New CUBESAT Design Details: The following links detail the new design.

CUBESAT DEPLOYMENT: The two cubesats would come out of the P-POD launcher upside down so that the deployment of the panels is not a violent event. The arrays only begin to deploy in the last few percent of travel, and then they are constrained by the p-pod opening. At this point, the forces of the deploying panels tend to add to the acceleration of the cubesat and assure the separation from the launcher as shown below.

BACKGROUND: The Naval Academy's PCsat , PCSAT2 , ANDE and RAFT satellites launched in 2001, 2005 and 2006 provided links back to the APRS internet system from simple student projects anywhere in the world. These satellites can relay position/status and telemetry about 2 to 4 times a day back to shoreside observers as a small part of the overall APRS system used by 10's of thousands of terrestrial users and vehicles.

DESIGN DOCUMENTATION: . The following section provides on-line links to all of the ParakinsonSAT design documentation. In Summer 2008, a significant design change is being considered in re-packaging the ParkinsonSAT into a standard 4" cubesat design. By using a pair of 1.5 Unit cubesats in a single 3 Unit Deployer system, most of the original objectives of the ParkinsonSAT can be met but with a much greater probability of finding a launch.

New CUBESAT Design Details:

ATTITUDE CONTROL SYSTEM MODEL: .

ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEM: .

COMMS SYSTEM: .

PROPULSION SYSTEM: (does not apply to the cubesat model). . If ParkinsonSAT is able to obtain a ride on the Space Shuttle, it would need a propulsion system to carry it from the Shuttle's low orbit, to a higher, more long term communications orbit. There is no way that a student built propulsion system wouild be able to get past all the Man Safety requirements for the Space Shuttle unless it was propelled by water. . Which is exactly what we propose. See our proposed H2O Propulsion System

ParkinsonSAT Interface Control Documents:

Historical files, supporting documents and obsolete ideas:

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