Microsatellite Wiring Harness and Attitude Hardware Development for the Defiant Platform

Resilient and effective hardware is essential for sustained satellite operation. Any hardware that exists on a satellite must be well designed and undergo rigorous testing to be suitable for space flight. The DEFIANT platform is a microsatellite design that facilitates assembly and integration to shorten the development time of new satellite missions. In this thesis, the design of a wiring harness for the DEFIANT microsatellite platform is presented in detail followed by unit level testing and analysis of two attitude sensors and one attitude actuator. The wiring harness design methodology will be discussed emphasizing the simplistic design for effortless satellite integration and achieving repeatable and consistent assembly results through a straightforward manufacturing process. In addition, various attitude determination and control sensors and actuators present on the DEFIANT platform are tested and analyzed to quantify performance and survivability for operation in space. Throughout this thesis, the author will be assessing the impact on the system level design and assembly of a satellite that stem from unit level hardware designs, or test and analysis results.M.A.S