P-POD and RocketPod on Steroids

This research leads to improved and enhanced versions of the Cal Poly P-Pod and Ecliptic RocketPod cubesat-class (picosat) carrier/deployment systems designed for frequent, recurring use onboard EELV-class U.S. launch vehicles starting in 2008. Enhancements include more robust environmental qualification levels, standardized interfaces with the host platform, leveraging of available host platform resources (e.g., power, control), video coverage of deployment operations and dual P-Pod (“six-pack”) capability. This infrastructure enables capabilities for launching single, dual- and triple-stacked CubeSats in various combinations, deployable and attached payloads (e.g., tethered payloads), single “CubeSat-Plus” payloads and CubeSat clusters. In addition to these technical capabilities, a CubeSat-class payload integration process – management and technical – is defined that accommodates a sustained pipeline of picosat launch opportunities for U.S. civil, DoD, commercial and academic customers with a frequency (in multiple quantities per launch) of roughly once per quarter, and with a focus on fast, cost-effective payload integration cycle times and a “no launch slot left unused” policy. Technical and financial synergies with other related ongoing efforts are summarized and various real and postulated sample payloads are addressed in this overall context. Selected issues concerning ITAR and range safety are addressed as well.