VCC Ceres: Challenges and Lessons Learned in an Undergraduate CubeSat Project

This paper describes challenges and lessons learned throughout the assembling, integrating, and testing for hardware and software of VCC Ceres, the first Virginia Tech CubeSat built and designed by undergraduates. The project started in 2016 as part of the Virginia CubeSat Constellation (VCC), Virginia Tech (VT), Old Dominion University (ODU), University of Virginia (UVA), and Hampton University in collaboration with the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC). In July of 2019, the three CubeSats were successfully launched from the International Space Station (ISS). The project's mission is to obtain measurements of properties of the Earth's atmosphere in low earth orbit as well as to collect orbital data throughout their lifespan to develop a drag profile for CubeSats launched from the ISS. To develop the Virginia Tech's spacecraft, VCC Ceres, over 50 different undergraduate students participated. In this process, they reached many breaking points and tough decisions. This paper builds the challenges and lessons learned from assembling, integrating, and testing hardware and software. Furthermore, it describes the initial period of the operations phase, right after deployment, where the students had the opportunity to attempt contact with their satellite. This study comprises of an analytical point of view from the senior monitoring group and other engineers that work at the Center for Space Science and Engineering Research, known as (Space@VT), summarizing the experience from an undergraduate CubeSat project. The outcome of this paper is to share an experience that leads to bolster future CubeSat missions at Virginia Tech and other institutions.