HOME

WHY

WHAT

WHO

SCHEDULE

UPDATES

TECH CD

CONTACT

Tentative Overall Schedule

Letter of Intent

A non-binding Letter of Intent to propose must delivered to us by 4:30 PM (Eastern Time), Friday, September 14, 2007. Any legible submission, including by e-mail (to: FUNSAT@mail.ucf.edu), is acceptable so long as it contains the name and mailing address of the academic institution(s) and department(s) involved; name, phone number and e-mail address of the Team Leader (must be a student); name, title, telephone number and e-mail address of Supervising Faculty Member.

While a letter of intent is not required it would be helpful for your design team to contact us, formally or not, in such a manner as to receive any design materials that have been compiled.

Top

Conceptual Design Phase

During the Design Phase, which will occur during the Fall 2007 Semester, contestants will be asked to produce design documents. The proposal will be submitted via e-mail attachment (to: FUNSAT@mail.ucf.edu), an electronic copy of your proposal must be in our possession by December 3, 2007. The proper format and complete detailed requirements will be uploaded onto the website.

The Conceptual Design Report is an end-of-semester report that provides all necessary information for a satellite design satellite. Each team will make a design consideration for selection of subsystem(s) that they will do in a detailed manner. This design report should include a maximum of 50 pages of single-spaced text excluding datasheets and supporting materials. It will also include all trade studies, detailed designs of selected subsystem, diagrams, tables, integration tables, final mass, power, size, and cost estimates, power, operational constraints, conceptual system, and program outlines developed by the team. Each team will send a digital copy of its report to the FUNSAT design email address, FUNSAT@mail.ucf.edu.

Top

Selected Teams Announced

The finalist teams will be announced on Friday, January 4, 2008. Selection will be based on the completion of the above requirements and satisfactory progress. Each team that fulfills these requirements will be awarded no less than $500 for the development of an engineering model.

Top

FUNSAT IV Workshop

FUNSAT IV Workshop will be held at the end of the spring semester at a place TBD.  During the conference, each team will present its final Detailed Design based on its DDR Report which will be due 2 weeks before the announced date of the workshop. 

Top

Selection of Winning Design (DDR)

 Peer Review Committee, consisting of representatives of NASA, industry and universities, will select from among the proposals and presentations for a winning design. The winning team will be given no less than $7,500 (whole satellite) / $2,500 (subsystem / payload) to complete a flight model. The Committee will assess each proposal according to the following criteria:

• Strength and depth of thought invested in preparing a professional Detailed Design Review (DDR) Report of a CubeSat; a team should make its DDR Report as comprehensive and "thought-through" as possible, as these will be the fundamental criteria by which its work will be judged during the peer review process;

The Detailed Design report should include:

• Design feasibility to build actual CubeSat
• Scientific and Technical Merit
• Creativity
• Description of Trade Studies Used for Selection of Design Option and Alternatives
• Technical analysis and simulation for the design justification
• Contingency plan
• Integration and test plan
• Details of major parts and design drawings and circuit diagrams
• Sponsors

Design Feasibility:
The design reviews must be able to justify the winning designs as to merit a flight model made from a submitted design. As this will be subjective so every effort must be made to explain fully and completely all design areas.

Scientific and Technical Merit:
The payload must demonstrate an ability to provide scientifically useful results. This will be very important in selection between two very technically sound designs

Creativity:
It is very important that the winning design team shows a high level of creativity and innovation.

Description of Trade Studies Used for Selection of Design Option and Alternatives:
Identify and describe the trade studies used for the selection of the conceptual designs and their alternatives and the unique technology and applications specific to each design.

Technical Analysis and Simulation for the Design Justification:
While FUNSAT will provide full testing facilities for the engineering model it is imperative that the design teams provide documentation of tests to back up design choices. The best way to provide technical justification is to run thorough and meaningful tests on the design.

Contingency Plan:
While Team FUNSAT wishes that we could provide funding for each and every design that is submitted to us this is not possible in the spirit of a competition. Therefore, in the report please include a contingency plan for the possibility that your design is not chosen by the judges. This can include lists of sponsors for funding a launch and other launch opportunities.

Integration and Test Plan:
Especially if your design team is either going to accept another team’s subsystem design or your team is only competing in one particular subsystem design it is imperative that a complete plan for integration of all subsystems is submitted. In addition, when the engineering model is complete some plan and schedule for tests to ascertain the space readiness of your design is necessary.

Details of major parts and design drawings and circuit diagrams:
Please provide complete diagrams of part design and integration and all circuit and block diagrams.

Sponsors:
One of the major parts of any senior design class will be fund raising. While FUNSAT is committed to funding the winning designs the possibility of your design not being chosen prompts the need for sponsors. By the time the finalists are selected, however, it might be too late to do any major fundraising so start early.

Top