Flexible and Extensible Bus for Small Satellites (FEBSS)

For the past several years, AeroAstro has been unifying the results of its SBIR efforts into a central thrust to once and for all bring the cost of spacecraft buses below one million dollars. This has resulted in a modular stackable spacecraft system; the Plug'n'Sense software architecture standard which allows spacecraft subsystems to interact without a great deal of custom hardware or software; the Universal Small Payload Interface to make launch vehicle integration more transparent; and finally, the Flexible Extensible Bus for Small Satellites. The interface standards and the modular spacecraft design directly support the Responsive Space initiative, creating a spacecraft system with a fast-turnaround and one that is achievable at low-cost. The opportunity of FEBSS Phase II is to clear the final technical hurdle needed before a mission can take place: the creation of a set of core modules, solar power, batteries, and communications (with the Arbiter, the "Command & Data Handling" of the architecture). With just these modules a basic spacecraft bus can be assembled and flown. It is anticipated that in a Phase III effort a passive-ACS-type microsatellite mission could realistically be performed using only the three module types developed here.