Modern Small Satellites - Changing the Economics of Space

Sweeting, Martin (2018) Modern Small Satellites - Changing the Economics of Space Proceedings of the IEEE, 106 (3). pp. 343-361.

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Abstract

Earth orbiting satellites come in a wide range of shapes and sizes to meet a diverse variety of uses and applications. Large satellites with masses over 1000kg support high resolution remote sensing of the Earth, high bandwidth communications services and world-class scientific studies but take lengthy developments and are costly to build and launch. The advent of commercially available, high-volume and hence low cost microelectronics has enabled a different approach through miniaturisation. This results in physically far smaller satellites that dramatically reduces timescales and costs and that are able to provide operational and commercially viable services. This paper charts the evolution and rise of small satellites from being an early curiosity with limited utility through to the present where small satellites are a key element of modern space capabilities.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions :	Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences > Electronic Engineering
Authors :	Name Email ORCID Sweeting, Martin M.Sweeting@surrey.ac.uk
Date :	27 February 2018
DOI :	10.1109/JPROC.2018.2806218
Copyright Disclaimer :	© 2018 IEEE. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. For more information, see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Uncontrolled Keywords :	Small satellites; Microsatellite; Nanosatellite; Cubesat; NewSpace
Depositing User :	Clive Harris
Date Deposited :	16 Feb 2018 11:00
Last Modified :	16 Jan 2019 19:07
URI:	http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/id/eprint/845853

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