Power and Data Transfer with a Two-Stage CubeSat Docking Adapter

The escalating proliferation of small satellites, also known as CubeSats or nanosatellites, in Earth’s orbit has heightened awareness regarding the imperative for small satellite servicing in response to emerging challenges and opportunities within space operations. As these small form factor satellites gain popularity for applications ranging from Earth observation to communication, scientific research, and technology demonstration, the growing population of small satellites necessitates a pivotal focus on satellite servicing. The multifaceted importance of small satellite servicing is underscored by various factors, including addressing the limited lifespan of small satellites due to restricted onboard propulsion and power capabilities, mitigating collision risks and space debris generation, maximizing the return on investment by extending operational life, facilitating technology upgrades to remain competitive, enabling payload replacement for continued scientific research, ensuring constellation maintenance for optimal functionality, providing enhanced mission flexibility in response to unexpected events, contributing to space debris reduction, exploring emerging market opportunities for commercial satellite servicing, and aligning with evolving regulatory frameworks governing satellite operations. Power and data transfer stand as vital components in satellite servicing operations, encompassing activities directed at maintaining, repairing, upgrading, or extending the lifespan of satellites. This paper provides a detailed account of the design, analysis, fabrication, and validation procedures involved in creating a two-stage CubeSat docking adapter with integrated power and data transfer capabilities. The development relies on 3D simulations and thorough analytical calculations, resulting in meticulously crafted prototypes subject to comprehensive testing in a controlled laboratory environment. The focus extends to implementing a cohesive integration of power and data transfer functionalities and outlining a plan for future implementation of fuel transfer functionality, reflecting advancements in CubeSat docking systems. The overarching objective is to demonstrate a seamless docking scenario between two CubeSats, each equipped with metal 3D-printed prototypes of the docking adapters. This demonstration aims to underscore the practical feasibility, reliability, and efficiency of the proposed docking system in real-world CubeSat missions, thereby contributing to the ongoing advancement of CubeSat technology and its practical applications in space exploration.