Applications of Systems Engineering Methodologies to an Undergraduate Student Volunteer-Led CubeSat Constellation

The Northern Space Program for Innovative Research and Integrated Training (Northern SPIRIT) satellite consortium launched in March 2023 and consists of three CubeSats designed, assembled, and operated by AlbertaSat, a University of Alberta student group: Ex-Alta 2: a 3U CubeSat containing an open-source, multispectral imager designed for wildfire prediction, detection, and prevention. YukonSat and AuroraSat: 2U CubeSats developed in collaboration with Yukon University and the Aurora Research Institute, each with an educational outreach payload that can receive, display, and photograph community submitted artwork and messages. All three satellites have digital fluxgate magnetometer payloads, and nearly identical buses composed of both commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and designed-in-house components. Common aerospace systems engineering methodologies were applied throughout all mission phases in a lean manner to mitigate technical and programmatic risk