Dr. Reyhan Baktur of Utah State University Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering

CubeSat, a modular type of standardized modern small satellites, have been gaining steady popularity and attention from universities and space industries. In addition to education purpose, CubeSats have various promising applications as low-cost space exploration vehicles for technology demonstrations, multi-point observations of space environment, and monitoring/reporting proper deployment of expensive deep space instruments.

Antennas are critical components for CubeSat missions. A CubeSat antenna may provide some or all of the following functions: telemetry, tracking, command (TT\&C), high speed downlink for payload data, receiving positioning data, and inter-satellite cross links. Most often, different antennas are required to keep the CubeSat assembly in modular fashion. On the other hand, antenna engineers strive to create solutions that could pack more functionality into one unit. This brings up a need to understand basics of CubeSat development cycle and link budget analysis, so that an electrical engineer would have sound knowledge of limiting factors (posed by the mechanical system and hardware of a CubeSat) to the antennas design.

With rapid advancement of electronics, novel mechanical design, and aerospace technology, new progress in CubeSats is emerging every day. This calls for interests and early involvements of creative young minds. The objective of this presentation is to convey the basics of CubeSat development cycle, launch methods, typical CubeSat orbits, link budget analysis, various antenna solutions, and feasible classroom projects.

Biography:

Dr. Reyhan Baktur is an associate professor at the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Utah State University (USU). Her research interests include antennas and microwave engineering with a focus on antenna design for CubeSats; optically transparent antennas; multifunctional integrated antennas, sensors, and microwave circuits.

She is affiliated with the Center for Space Engineering at USU, the Space Dynamics Laboratory (the university affiliated research center), and collaborates with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Dr. Baktur is an AdCom member of IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, and is active in US National Committee of the International Union of Radio Science, serving as the vice chair for commission B, and the inaugural chair for the Women in Radio Science.

She is passionate and committed to electromagnetic education and student recruiting by introducing CubeSat projects in undergraduate classrooms. She is the recipient of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society’s (APS) the Donald G. Dudley Jr. Undergraduate Teaching Award in 2013 and has been actively serving IEEE APS student paper competition and student design contest.

Dr. Baktur’s lectures will focus on CubeSat Development Basics, Link Budget Analysis and Development, Antenna Designs for CubeSats and Small Satellites, Transparent Antennas, and Class Projects for Electromagnetic Courses.

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