Analyze CubeSat Mission Geometry

To help you get started analyzing CubeSat mission geometries of CubeSat vehicles modeled in Simulink^®, the CubeSat Simulation Library provides the asbCubeSatMissionAnalysis live script. If you have not yet done so, install the Aerospace Blockset™ CubeSat Simulation Library. For more information, see Getting Started with CubeSats.

This live script uses the CubeSat Simulation Library and Mapping Toolbox™ software to analyze the mission geometry of one or more CubeSat vehicles modeled in Simulink, and determine CubeSat to ground station line-of-sight (LOS) visibility. To view the underlying MATLAB code for this report, change the display output option.

This live script analyzes mission geometries for CubeSats modeled using the CubeSat Vehicle block.

1. Start the CubeSat mission analysis live script. Here is an excerpt of an analysis live script.

   

   This function starts a live script for which you can specify a model. This live script is self-documenting and guides you through the steps to analyze your mission geometry. It contains sections for:

   • Mission definition

   • Simulation

   • Analysis results

2. In Simulink Model(s) containing 'CubeSat Vehicle' block(s), enter the name of a model that contains one or more CubeSat Vehicle blocks. For example:

   • The example model saved from the CubeSat Vehicle Model template.

   • The asbDualCubeSatExample model, provided in the Aerospace Blockset CubeSat Simulation Library.

3. As desired, change the other settings in the Mission Definition section then, in the Run Simulation section, click Run.

   The live script analyzes the CubeSat vehicles in the specified model and updates the live script with data from the model.

4. Explore the live script and change values where prompted to visualize varying data.

   All visualizations in the Mission Analysis Results section have arrows ) that you can click to open the visualization in a separate figure window.

5. Optionally save the live script file for this analysis.

Utility Function

In addition to the existing Aerospace Blockset and Aerospace Toolbox functions, the CubeSat Simulation Library provides the generateAccessTable function to calculate line-of-sight (LOS) mutual visibility between CubeSat and ground station.

References

[1] Wertz, James R, David F. Everett, and Jeffery J. Puschell. Space Mission Engineering: The New Smad. Hawthorne, CA: Microcosm Press, 2011. Print.