Interview with Zac Manchester- Creator of chip-sized satellites
Manchester and a Sprite prototype CREDIT: Rebecca Manchester
Tiny silicon wafers wafting through the void 300 km in orbit. Bits of a rocket gone awry or the next step in affordable space exploration? If you chose the latter, you’d be correct. Zachary Manchester, a graduate aerospace engineering student at Cornell University is developing a satellite-on-a-chip, called Sprite, that promises to enable fleets of low-cost, specialized micro-satellites to explore the cosmos. Opinno had the opportunity to interview Manchester about his project and where it is headed.
Pierce: How did you become interested in space?
Manchester: I honestly can’t remember a starting point or a “this is it” sort of moment. I’ve been fascinated by space since I was a small child. Growing up, I wanted to be a pilot or an astronaut. I suppose I’ve settled for being a rocket scientist instead, but I can’t think of many jobs that would be more fun.
Pierce: Can you explain your project? What is it you are trying to achieve with the Sprite platform?
Manchester: This project is all about developing the smallest spacecraft possible. Our current prototypes… are circuit boards about 3×3 centimeters that are powered by solar cells and have the ability to communicate with ground stations via radio. Our long-term goal is to be able to fabricate an entire spacecraft on a chip so that they can be mass-produced the way consumer electronics are today, bringing the cost of spaceflight down several orders of magnitude.
Back in May of 2011 we were lucky enough to send 3 of our Sprites to the International Space Station aboard the MISSE-8 experiment. Unfortunately, that experiment was mounted to the side of the ISS facing away from the Earth and we haven’t been able to communicate with it. We will, however, get the Sprites back eventually when MISSE-8 is brought back to Earth for analysis, and we’ll be able to check their electronics for radiation damage.
We’re currently working on a CubeSat mission called KickSat that will carry 200 Sprites into low-Earth orbit (LEO) and deploy them as free flying spacecraft. As far as I know, they would be the smallest free-flying spacecraft ever. We would then be able to demonstrate the Sprites’ communications capabilities and confirm their predicted orbital dynamics.
Pierce: Even as electronics have become smaller, we still see massive satellites being launched. Why is this? Are there some jobs a small satellite just can’t do?
Manchester: Yes, there are definitely some jobs that small spacecraft can’t do. Some of these are due to basic physics, for example needing a certain aperture for optical measurements, but in many cases the limits are due to current technology. As we continue to advance some of the key underlying technologies in spacecraft, such as energy storage, computers, and solar panels, there are many compelling reasons to build smaller, cheaper, and more agile satellites.
Pierce: What would be the best way to explore another celestial body with a fleet of Sprites? Is this an eventual goal of yours?
Manchester: Exploring other planets is certainly in our long-term goals for the Sprites. There are certain things that Sprites would be exceptionally good at in planetary exploration. One of these is exploring the atmosphere of an alien planet. Sprites can be engineered to fall through an atmosphere without generating extreme heat, and thus could measure things like chemical composition, pressure, temperature, and wind speed in ways that would be impossible with larger spacecraft. They could also be “dropped off” in groups over several different areas, giving a more global perspective than could be gained with a single large spacecraft.
Diagram of a Sprite CREDIT: Ernesto Serrano
Pierce: Going back to the previous question, would a larger ‘mother ship’ be needed to provide communications with Earth?
Manchester: As with any other technology, Sprites have certain strengths and weaknesses. One of their weaknesses is their limited power, and thus limited radio transmitter capability. While we are confident that we can create a robust communications link from low Earth orbit, interplanetary distances pose a serious challenge. Using a larger “mother ship” spacecraft, as you’ve suggested, to relay signals from the Sprites to Earth and boost their power is one solution to the problem.
Pierce: CubeSats are already a proven platform, is Sprite trying to compete with or complement them?
Manchester: I certainly don’t think Sprites will be able to replace CubeSats. There are simply things you can’t do at the Sprite scale yet, and some things that you’ll never be able to do. I think we’ll see a symbiotic relationship develop between Sprites and CubeSats, with each augmenting the capabilities of the other. For example, CubeSats could serve the “mother ship” role, carrying Sprites to a desired orbit and deploying them, as we plan to do with KickSat.
Pierce: How sophisticated could Sprites become in the future?
Manchester: Many of these things are happening right now, and will be ready within the next couple of years. We’re currently working on integrating different sensors, including a magnetometer and a gyroscope. A GPS receiver is also on the horizon. In the longer term, any type of sensor that can be fabricated on a chip, including MEMS devices (Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems), should be able to work on a Sprite. We’re also looking into ways of providing both attitude and orbit actuation using torque coils and tiny electrodynamic tethers, both of which effectively “push against” the Earth’s magnetic field.
Pierce: You used KickStarter to get funding and actually received more than double the amount you requested. Can you describe that experience?
Manchester: My experience with KickStarter has been as successful as I could have possibly hoped for. I’m hugely grateful to everyone who has pitched in and become a part of this effort. I’ve met a lot of great people and I hope that even more people to contribute their time, enthusiasm and technical expertise as we move forward building KickSat, sending out development kits, and setting up ground stations around the world.
Pierce: What are your goals for the future?
Manchester: At the moment my goals are to make sure KickSat is successful and to finish my degree. Beyond that, I’d like to work toward making the Sprite concept an accepted part of the space mission planner’s toolbox.
Pierce: What advice do you have for young people who are interested in space and astronomy?
Manchester: Get out there and do it! There’s no time like the present, and there are hundreds of ways for people to become involved in space and astronomy. You don’t have to be an astronaut or a rocket scientist. Join an organization, build a rocket, or explore the heavens through a telescope in your back yard.
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