Design and Mechanical Analysis of the Launch Separation System for the 6U Cubesat under Vibrational Loads of the Launcher
Document Type : selected article
Authors
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology (SUT), Tehran, Iran
2
Satellite Research Institute, Iranian Space Research Center
3
Department of Mechanical Engineering, K.N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Given the increasing prevalence of CubeSats due to their low research and development costs, there is a need for a reliable standard separation system. The satellite separation system must securely hold the CubeSat during flight, protect it from loads during launch, and accurately deploy it into orbit. Typically made of aluminum, these separation systems include a spring-loaded mechanism to position the satellite in orbit and a locking and release mechanism to secure it during launch. In this paper, the design and analysis of the separation system for a 6U CubeSat are presented. Initially, the design process for the separation system is outlined, considering the requirements related to the satellite and launcher. Subsequently, a 3D modeling process for the separation system is described, taking into account the satellite and launcher requirements. In the design of launch separation system, a new mechanical locking mechanism based on the pin polar has been developed, which improves the accuracy and stability of the lock in launch conditions. This locking mechanism, in addition to bearing the vibration loads caused by the launch, provides higher reliability in maintaining the satellite until the moment of injection into the orbit. Following the modeling phase, dynamic behavior analysis is performed using ADMS and ANSYS software, and finite element analysis of the separation system is conducted to determine its natural frequencies and response to random and sinusoidal loads. Also, quasi-static and buckling analyzes have been performed to ensure the proper strength of the separation system against the launcher loads. The results obtained from the mechanical and dynamic analyzes showed that the well-designed system can release the satellite optimally in the orbit with the appropriate speed while bearing the incoming loads.
Keywords
Subjects
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Volume 5, Issue 1 - Serial Number 9
September 2025Pages 125-147
- Receive Date 05 August 2024
- Revise Date 31 October 2024
- Accept Date 12 May 2025