Structural Design and Finite Element Analysis of DESCENT CubeSats

This thesis outlines the development of a two custom CubeSat structures used for the DESCENT mission. DESCENT aims to test the feasibility of Electrodynamic Tethers (EDT) to deorbit spacecrafts. The payloads and bus components require DESCENT to have its own custom structures. The design is initially completed using a Computer Aided Design (CAD) software to create a solid model that fulfills the requirements stated by the launch provider. Next, a Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) tool is then used to create a Finite Element Model (FEM) of the satellites. The FEM is then used to run a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to validate the structural integrity of the satellites in the launch and thermal environments. After the structure had been validated, technical drawings of components were completed, and the parts were manufactured. Finally, the manufactured parts were assembled together, and a fit check was completed to confirm the satellites outer dimensions.