| Small satellites refer to a new breed of smaller and computationally capable satellites, which serve as a "faster, better, cheaper" means of realizing space missions. To ensure success of a small satellite mission, it is important that systems engineering be applied at the initial stages of the program formalization to provide a basis for defining mission strategies, managing requirements, risk analysis, performing design trades and estimating cost. The objective of this thesis is to formalize a small satellite mission plan while providing recommendations in areas involving design optimization, systems engineering, project management, cost modeling, subsystem design and selection. Finally, this thesis details the preliminary design of a conceptual "MSUSAT" small satellite, using Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) components, from a systems engineering perspective. It explains the choice of orbit, payload and other subsystem components that are necessary to ensure that the mission fulfils its objective. |
