SAL-E: Responsive Space Pathfinder Mission

The main objective of the SAL-E mission is to grow the Cal Poly CubeSat Lab’s (PolySat) capabilities in rapid spacecraft design, as well as to provide the current generation of students with the opportunity to design, test, integrate, and communicate with a satellite. This summer we will be focusing on a few aspects of the spacecraft design and preparing our test facilities for Fall. Specifically, we will be ordering electronics boards that were designed in Spring, testing the boards as they arrive, developing software to interface with the payloads, begin integrated testing, updating the control system in our thermal vacuum chamber, and testing our vibrations procedures. Students participating in this multidisciplinary SURP will gain hands-on experience with a few aspects of the spacecraft design cycle while helping move SAL-E toward launch.