Designing the communication sub-system for nanosatellite CubeSat missions: Operational and implementation perspectives

Over the past decade nanosatellites have emerged as a cost-effective alternative to the traditional large satellite missions, enabling access to space experimentation for universities and other types of small enterprises, which otherwise would be unable to carry them out due to cost constraints. A major challenge when designing nanosatellite systems such as a CubeSats, is implementing the communication sub-system, which is a critical component that determines the specific tasks the satellite is capable of accomplishing. This paper examines operational constraints for CubeSats placed in low Earth orbits and how they impact the design of their communications sub-system.