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Smart Small Satellite Systems Thales in NTU (S4TIN)
Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Thales in Singapore and Thales Alenia Space, Joint Venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33 %), have signed the extension agreement for the Smart Small Satellite Systems Thales in NTU (S4TIN) joint laboratory. The laboratory was originally signed among the three partners in October 2014, and supported by EDB, the Economic Development Board of Singapore.
With the extension the three partners have agreed to explore unpaved paths, developing the technological enablers of tomorrow - small satellite missions leveraging in the activities already engaged on new materials and devices, manufacturing processes and intelligent control.
S4TIN will also aim to enlarge the areas of cooperation including the novel field of research on geophysics and atmospheric science.
The School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering of Nanyang Technological University, Thales Alenia Space, Europe’s largest satellite manufacturer, and Thales Solution Asia , hosting in Singapore the sole Thales corporate Research Centre in Asia, team up to develop innovative concepts and technologies for small satellites systems.
The partnership aims to leverage the rapidly growing nanosatellite and microsatellite segments of the global satellite industry which usually refers to satellites less than 100 kg. The partners set up a joint research laboratory in NTU named S4TIN, short for Smart Small Satellite Systems - Thales In NTU. The lab brings together the world-renowned heritage of Thales Alenia Space in satellite systems, NTU’s pioneering research in small satellite platforms and technologies, and the local research and technology capabilities of Thales in Singapore.
S4TIN supports the development of new flight-proven technologies for the micro/nano-satellite market. These technologies will first enable the development of prototypes and mission demonstrators and will become, in the future, basis of operational missions.
The activities of S4TIN today, supported from Institutional Funds, are related to the development of a small and robust infrared camera, able to detect changes in the climate from space, new technologies for Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites and a joint research programme to study the use of satellite technology for maritime security.
The S4TIN joint lab was launched on 11 February 2015 by Mr Yeoh Keat Chuan, Managing Director of Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), NTU Provost Prof Freddy Boey, Thales Alenia Space’s Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Mr Patrick Maute and Thales in Singapore’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Jean-Noel Stock.
Prof Freddy Boey said this landmark collaboration is an international recognition of NTU’s strengths in satellite research and development.
“NTU is home to some of the brightest minds in engineering in Singapore today. We have successfully built, launched and operated four satellites in space for the last five years. Satellite research and development is extremely demanding and highly multidisciplinary and to put even one in space is no small task,” Prof Boey said. “Using the expertise we gained, we are now tackling an even bigger challenge. Together with Thales, we now aim to develop more advanced satellite technology to bring the world better telecommunications and more accurate climate sensing and observation data. This is also the more sustainable route, as smaller satellites require less resources and time to build, launch and operate.”
Mr Patrick Maute affirmed NTU’s impressive achievements, adding that the creation of S4TIN demonstrated the mutual commitment to push the frontiers of nano/micro-satellite technologies.
“We are impressed with NTU’s ability to build, launch and operate four satellites in such a short period of time. The talents trained by NTU had proven themselves to be fully capable of developing nano/micro-satellites at a rapid pace. We are excited to work with NTU to explore innovative applications of such satellites in remote sensing, environment monitoring, or navigation / automatic identification system (AIS) among others,”
S4TIN Laboratory
S4TIN is a joint laboratory between Thales Alenia Space and NTU with the participation of Thales Solution Asia, Singapore site. The partnership aims to leverage the rapidly growing nanosatellite and microsatellite segments of the global satellite industry which usually refers to satellites less than 100 kg. The lab brings together the world-renowned heritage of Thales Alenia Space in satellite systems, NTU’s pioneering research in small satellite platforms and technologies, and the local research and technology capabilities of Thales in Singapore.
S4TIN supports the development of new flight-proven technologies for the micro/nano-satellite market. These technologies will first enable the development of prototypes and mission demonstrators and will become, in the future, basis of operational missions.
S4TIN Research Programs
Phase Change Material (PCM) is the topic of the second PhD, expected to finish in 2020. The student, Wen Hao Li, supported by Prof Sunil C. Joshi and Edwin Teo, was able to synthesize PCM doped with a 3D-graphene scaffold allowing better temperature management, capable to withstand launch load and that will eventually help satellite architects to optimize energy resources, in particular in small satellites, or low duty cycle high energy applications.
Shape Memory Polymers is the topic of the third PhD, expected to finish early 2021. Shape Memory Polymers composited with three dimensional carbon foams (3D-C) promises benefits for the construction of a deployable antenna reflector structure without mechanical actuators since the actuating material-surface is also electromagnetically reflective. The student, Samson Lai Iskandar, supported by Prof Edwin Teo and Prof Lee Yee Hui, was able to achieve metric-changing surface morphing (flat-to-synclastic) into bi-curved surfaces through kirigami methods while retaining the reflectivity of the material for RF applications.
Satellite Mission Cost Optimisation is the topic of the fourth PhD project focusing on the development of a methodology to optimize acceptance test procedures for a satellite constellation. A cost model which includes the impact of test procedures on the subsequent reliability of accepted satellite units to obtain resulting mission costs, assuming a perfect renewal policy in orbit, is proposed. Teo Kah How, supported by Prof Tai Kang, is working on the project which is expected to finish early 2021.
Active Thermal Control is the topic of the fifth PhD, expected to finish in 2023. The research of Shanmugasundaram , “Shan”, Selvadurai focuses on developing an active thermal control system (TCS) to manage large thermal loads and enable cryogenic instrumentations in Nano satellites. A ground based TCS unit for a 6U Cubesat platform containing a cryocooler, a fluid pump, Heat exchanger and a deployable radiator will be tested in a thermal vacuum environment to qualify the unit for future missions.
Enea Sacco and Prof Seung Ki Moon, together with the support of NAMIC, defined an innovative model for mechanical characterization of polymer structures when used in additive manufacturing processes. This method will help in the definition of non-homogeneous springs eventually used for novel applications such as cold gas thrusters with constant thrust and deployment mechanisms with continuous torque.