Changes

Welcome to the payload subteam! The payload often defines the mission of the satellite, so it's basically the most important part :) These payloads can be anything from telescopes like Hubble to communication systems like Starlink. Our recent satellites have largely focused on low-cost camera systems and radio modules. This subteam covers a huge variety of topics, so no matter your interests definitely join the Slack and reach out!  

Welcome to the payload subteam! The payload often defines the mission of the satellite, so it's basically the most important part :) These payloads can be anything from telescopes like Hubble to communication systems like Starlink. Our recent satellites have largely focused on low-cost camera systems and radio modules. This subteam covers a huge variety of topics, so no matter your interests definitely join the Slack and reach out!  

Our current projects are developing a multi-camera system and a higher speed radio module for the SAMWISE mission. This system is based on the Raspberry Pi architecture and will include an Earth-facing camera, a star tracker used in conjunction with our ADCS system, and a selfie camera! The higher speed radio will allow us to more quickly send images back down to Earth.  

Our current projects are developing a multi-camera system and a more powerful radio module for the SAMWISE mission. This system is based on the Raspberry Pi architecture and will include an Earth-facing camera, a star tracker used in conjunction with our ADCS system, and a selfie camera! The new radio will allow us to more quickly send large image files back down to Earth.  

=== Software ===

=== Software ===

=== ''Sapling Giganteum'': 2022–2023 ===

=== ''Sapling Giganteum'': 2022–2023 ===

[[File:Sapling2-photoshoot.jpeg|left|thumb|''Sapling Giganteum'']]

[[File:Sapling2-photoshoot.jpeg|left|thumb|''Sapling Giganteum'' (Sapling-2) posing for its photoshoot|alt=]]

Also referred to as Sapling-2, this was the second of the ''Sapling'' series of 1U CubeSats. This mission represented a major step forward in our satellite design and became the first SSI satellite to be  deployed in space. It also became the first SSI satellite to successfully make contact with the ground and to carry out on-orbit operations.  

Also referred to as Sapling-2, this was the second of the ''Sapling'' series of 1U CubeSats. This mission represented a major step forward in our satellite design and became the first SSI satellite to be  deployed in space. It also became the first SSI satellite to successfully make contact with the ground and to carry out on-orbit operations.  

Sapling-2 launched on SpaceX's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spaceflight_launches_in_January%E2%80%93June_2023#SpXTransporter7 Transporter 7] at 11:48pm PST on April 14th, 2023 from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandenberg_Space_Force_Base Vandenburg Space Force Base] in Southern California. Shortly after deployment contact was made with SSI's Durand ground station.

Sapling-2 launched on SpaceX's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spaceflight_launches_in_January%E2%80%93June_2023#SpXTransporter7 Transporter 7] at 11:48pm PST on April 14th, 2023 from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandenberg_Space_Force_Base Vandenburg Space Force Base] in Southern California. Shortly after deployment contact was made with SSI's Durand ground station.

The avionics on Sapling-2 include a PyCubed V5 main flight computer and is powered with NCR18650B batteries and solar panels on each side panel. As with Sapling-1 the payload was a Google Coral Dev Board Mini computer and a Google Coral Camera, with similar imaging and image processing goals.

The avionics on Sapling-2 include a PyCubed V5 main flight computer and is powered with NCR18650B batteries and solar panels on each side panel. As with Sapling-1 the payload was a Google Coral Dev Board Mini computer and a Google Coral Camera, with similar imaging and image processing goals. The satellite was unfortunately unable to take and send photos on-orbit due to difficulties interfacing the Google Coral computer with our main flight computer.

In addition to incremental but critical improvements to the internal electronics of the satellite, Sapling-2 featured a number of major changes from the design of Sapling-1. The first iteration of the Heartwood Structure debuted on this satellite. Made of off-the-shelf aluminum cut with a CNC and bent into precise shape before being anodized, this all-new structure lowered material costs and allowed for rapid prototyping. An evolution of this structure is being created for the SAMWISE satellite and will underpin all missions in the near future.

In addition to incremental but critical improvements to the internal electronics of the satellite, Sapling-2 featured a number of major changes from the design of Sapling-1. The first iteration of the Heartwood Structure debuted on this satellite. Made of off-the-shelf aluminum cut with a CNC and bent into precise shape before being anodized, this all-new structure lowered material costs and allowed for rapid prototyping. An evolution of this structure is being created for the SAMWISE satellite and will underpin all missions in the near future.

The payload of Sapling-1 consisted of a [https://coral.ai/products/dev-board-mini Google Coral Dev Board Mini] computer and a [https://coral.ai/products/camera/ Google Coral Camera]. This payload was selected to demonstrate on-orbit image processing and selection using an AI filter. The Coral would use this processing to select a single "best" image out of a series of images taken, reducing the amount of data needed to be transmitted down to Earth. The camera was mounted on the Z- face of the satellite opposite the antennas (towards the table in the photo on the right).

The payload of Sapling-1 consisted of a [https://coral.ai/products/dev-board-mini Google Coral Dev Board Mini] computer and a [https://coral.ai/products/camera/ Google Coral Camera]. This payload was selected to demonstrate on-orbit image processing and selection using an AI filter. The Coral would use this processing to select a single "best" image out of a series of images taken, reducing the amount of data needed to be transmitted down to Earth. The camera was mounted on the Z- face of the satellite opposite the antennas (towards the table in the photo on the right).

=== Sequoia: 2019–2020 ===

=== Sequoia: 2019–2020 ===