Paper 13093-119
Assembly, integration, and testing of the Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS)
On demand | Presented live 17 June 2024
Abstract
We discuss the final assembly, integration, and testing of the Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat. SPARCS is a 6U CubeSat mission designed to monitor the dual-channel, far-UV (153-176 nm) and near-UV (258-308 nm) photometric activity of nearby low mass stars to advance our understanding of their evolution, activity, and the habitability of surrounding exoplanets. This paper details the assembly of the SPARCS instrument and the testing process to characterize and validate the performance of the payload prior to spacecraft integration. To test SPARCS, we have established a customized CubeSat AIT laboratory and thermal vacuum chamber at ASU equipped to handle CubeSats requiring meticulous contamination control for work in the FUV. After a brief overview of these facilities and the testing plan, we will detail the methods and data used to verify the performance of SPARCS and generate calibration products to reduce raw flight data to high-quality science products. The result will be the delivery of the first highly sensitive FUV astrophysics CubeSat which will inform exoplanet environments and future observations of these systems by facilities like the Habitable Worlds Observatory.
Presenter
Arizona State Univ. (United States)
Logan Jensen is a 6th-year Exploration Systems Design PhD. Candidate at Arizona State University working for on the assembly, integration, and testing (AIT) of the Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS) mission to study the flaring characteristics and habitability of M-dwarf stars. His roles include leading the leading the SPARCS contamination control efforts, assembling the SPARCS science payload, and the design and execution of the testing and characterization of the science payload prior to spacecraft integration and launch.