Coconut CubeSat

Project Overview

Before I dive into my experience with the Coconut CubeSat, allow me to briefly introduce the Sun Devil Satellite Laboratory (SDSL) and provide context for the project. I work for the SDSL, a Fulton Student Organization at ASU dedicated to the design and development of satellite and related technologies. SDSL participates in various projects, including the annual AIAA CanSat Competition, the Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) in collaboration with JPL NASA, the Coconut CubeSat, and many others.

I am working with a team at the Sun Devil Satellite Laboratory (SDSL) on the Coconut CubeSat, a 1U satellite designed to relay information from remote sensing devices back to the ground station at Arizona State University. This project is particularly significant for SDSL, as NASA has selected the Coconut CubeSat for the CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI). Our CubeSat competed against designs from notable universities such as Harvard and Columbia in the selection process and is scheduled for launch into orbit in October 2025. Click here to learn more about CSLI and the selection process.

Roles & Responsibilities

As a Software Engineer on the Coconut CubeSat project at SDSL, I contribute to the development and deployment of software for satellite operations using Ubuntu and other Linux distributions. We follow Agile methodologies, incorporating iterative phases, regular reviews, structured feedback, and cross-functional collaboration among the software, electrical, and mechanical sub-teams.

Associated Organizations

The Coconut CubeSat is a collaboration between the Sun Devil Satellite Laboratory (SDSL), the Interplanetary Initiative at ASU, and NASA. The project is divided into deliverables (e.g., PDR, PPRR, CDR) based on NASA’s Space Flight Project Life Cycle. These deliverables represent the culmination of work from both SDSL and the Interplanetary Initiative, regularly reviewed by NASA to ensure steady development and continuous refinement leading up to and following the launch.

Personal Contributions

Command, Control, & Communication

As a Software Engineer on the Coconut CubeSat project, I facilitate command, control, and communication between the satellite's onboard flight software and the ground station software at Arizona State University. I utilize OpenC3 COSMOS, an industry-standard software used by organizations such as NASA and Northrop Grumman. My role involves configuring OpenC3 COSMOS to send commands and receive telemetry over a direct FTDI connection, with plans to transition to LoRa radio communication.

I manage peripheral interfaces such as UARTs, I2C, and SPI serial communication, ensuring seamless two-way transmission by configuring Space Packet CCSDS protocols for OpenC3 COSMOS interpretation. Additionally, I develop and debug C code for the flight and ground software executing on an ARM Cortex microcontroller running an RTOS, developed within Ubuntu, ensuring that data packets are transmitted and received accurately.

OpenC3 COSMOS: Command and telemetry handling interface.