COEP Satellite Project: Swayam

Structural and Vibration Analysis of Satellite: Swayam

Lead Design Engineer, Quality Control Manager

In Association with: Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)

COEP Satellite Project is a university satellite project at COEP. Swayam is the first Indian satellite to have demostrated the Passive Attitude Stabilization. On the 22nd June 2016, the Swayam satellite that we assembled at ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) was launched in space by Indian Space Research Organization.

Responsibilities held: Lead Dsign Engineer, Administrative Lead, Quality Control Manager

With the team of five in structures subsystem, I carried out a structural analysis using computational platform and designed satellite according to stiffness requirement specified by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). I performed fatigue life estimation,material characterization, and optimized the 3D printed structures and presented this work at 66th International Astronautical Congress, Jerusalem, Israel held in October 2015.

I also worked as an in-charge of quality and assurance team for setting up of improved ground station for communication. In my junior year, I was responsible for satellite assembly and environmental testing at ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC).

Design and Development of ACS Testbed for small satellites

Guide: Professor D. W. Pande, Dean Research and development, College of Engineering Pune (COEP)

I am thankful to MIT (Centre for Bits and Atoms) and COEP for providing Fab-Lab at COEP so that we could build our own PCBs, mechanical prototytes. During my work with COEP satellite project, I realized that many other Indian students did not have access to high-end facilites and infrastructure like clean room, vibration testing facilities, Fab-Lab.

Hence in my senior year, I took initiative for the development of inhouse testing facilites for attitude control system of satellite. The aim was to develop Frugal Space technology while democratizing the access to high-end facilites to other universities in order to advance satellite building in India.

We developed the testbed for small satellite with innovative inhouse design and manufacturing of air bearing and Helmholtz cage, costing it just $100 which was 20x more cost effective than commercially available items (which costed no lesser than $2000).

This facility became India's first university testbed for satellite ACS.

I belive that such tailor-made technologies would unlock the potential of developing countries in the space technology. This effort won us the prestigious "Best Project Award" among all the senior theses in COEP. The outcomes of this work were presented at the 29th Space Simulation Conference, 2016 at Maryland, USA.

Member, Structures Subsystem:

Fig: Sine sweep vibration testing of the qualification model of Swayam at College of Engineering Pune

With the team of five in structures subsystem, I carried out a structural analysis using computational platform and designed satellite according to stiffness requirement specified by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). I performed fatigue life estimation,material characterization, and optimized the 3D printed structures.

I analyzed the satellite for random vibrations, sine sweep to qualify for the flight. I presented this work at 66th International Astronautical Congress, Jerusalem, Israel held in October 2015.

As part of the Structures subsystem, I have worked extensively on Finite Element Analysis, Vibration Analysis and experimentation. I also worked as an in-charge of quality and assurance team for setting up of improved ground station for communication.

In my junior year, I was responsible for satellite assembly and environmental testing at ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC).

Administrative Lead, Satellite Team

I became Administrative Head of satellite team, leading a team of 45 students to the successful launch of satellite Swayam. My key contributions are:

• Responsible for successfully manufacturing, assembling and testing the flight model of the satellite at ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore.
• Presenting preshhipment reviews before the ISAC scientists.
  • Enhanced performance of COEP Ground Station by fabricating antennae, providing setup for electronic devices

Publications:

1. Marne A. S., Prabhune B. et al., Prediction and improvement in fatigue life of LEO 1U pico-satellite using FEA tool to maximize the mission’s redicted life, 66^thInternational Astronautical Congress, Jerusalem, Israel, October 2015

2. Marne A. S., Kothawala A., Rathod A., Katke T., Prabhune B. et al. A pristine, versatile and cost-effective standardized structural system for cubesats, 66th International Astronautical Congress,Jerusalem, Israel, October 2015

3. Marne A. S., Katke T., Kamble S., Prabhune B. et al., Employing rapid prototyping to reduce weight and optimize selected intricate structural components of a picosatellite, 66^th International Astronautical Congress, Jerusalem, Israel, October 2015

4. Katke T., Rathod A., Marne A., Kothawala A., Prabhune B. et al., Modular and Efficient system for antenna deployment in Swayam: A platform for reliable bi-directional communication, 67^th International Astronautical Congress, Gualaraja, Mexico, September 2016

5. Katke T., Rathod A., Marne A., Prabhune B. et al., Thermal System Design and Orbital Analysis of Swayam: An overview of the design principles and technical considerations, 67^th International Astronautical Congress, Gualaraja, Mexico, September 2016

Swayam Project received a special mention from Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi during through his personal visit and radio program.

COEP Satellite Team with the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi

Links:

LinkedIn Article