Design and implementation of the flight application software and NanoSatellite Protocol for the CanX-2 nanosatellite

The Canadian Advanced Nanospace eXperiment 2 (CanX-2) is the second nanosatellite developed at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies: Space Flight Lab (UTIAS/SFL). Constructed in two years, this three-kilogram, triple "CubeSat" is the product of a team of graduate students led by experienced staff. CanX-2 was created following the Microspace Design Philosophy and using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) parts. Its mission is to demonstrate the use of a nanosatellite as a valuable scientific tool that is cost- and schedule-effective for today's researchers. It aims to provide a reliable test-bed for new technology and to demonstrate the capability of the CanX program to produce practical and functional nanosatellites. This thesis presents the design and development of the embedded flight software for CanX-2 including the Canadian Advanced Nanospace Operating Environment (CANOE), the drivers, and the application software. It will introduce the design of a new nanosatellite communication protocol called NanoSatellite Protocol (NSP).