The RF Division deals with the design and analysis of the communication systems to properly uplink commands and downlink telemetry data from the satellite.

The RF Division hosts an RF Workshop every week for members in WinSAT and non-WinSAT students of the University of Windsor. Focused on learning the key concepts towards achieving the Canadian RF Basic Certification, these students will attain licenses as Amateur Radio Operators in order to communicate with the CubeSat.

The Command & Data Handling Division concentrates on the On-Board Computer (OBC) that handles the commands to all the various satellite subsystems. This division also handles the software that runs on the OBC. This Division will integrate various modules to test subsystem interaction and upgrade the CubeSat with space-ready components.

The Structural Division works on developing an overall final design of our 3U CubeSat. With a focus on the space environment, they design the structure to support our mission operations in the space environment with very low space tolerances, adhering to the material constraints and structural analysis requirements.

The Thermal Division conducts various analyses for Thermal, Vibration, Radiation, and Frequency Responses; all of which required to stay within operational ranges for the final satellite design. Thermal also designs various active or passive systems (if necessary) to regulate the temperature of the satellite.

WinSAT’s Payloads Division has been focused on developing the sensor parameters to fit the requirements for the “Selfie-Sat” mission. After a rigorous research phase, the Division has selected an appropriate optical imaging sensor and accompanying lens.

WinSAT’s Payloads Division is interested in working with 3rd party entities, such as companies or research entities, for collaboration regarding a possible secondary payload mission. This prospect is available to all industries and research organizations, and WinSAT requires a detailed description of how this secondary mission would improve the goals of your organization by augmenting its research, service, or product with a specific a dataset, sensor, or payload.

Please see “Sponsorship” for more details on how to partner with WinSAT for research and industry collaboration.

EPS is responsible for the overall power distribution, battery, and solar array operations on our satellite. This Division has researched and compiled a comprehensive components list for modules, batteries, and solar cells to fit the requirements of the satellite.

EPS is also using simulation software to conduct power generation analysis based on the satellite surface areas provided by the Structural & Thermal Systems Division.

WinSAT’s Business Division is actively engaging both internal and external partners for the sharing of resources and procurement of cash and in-kind sponsorships to support CubeSat development. Currently, the Business Division is working closely with the Team’s other Divisions to determine the required funding and target potential sponsors. They are also in the process of developing a strong web and social media presence, and various media materials to attract public interest.

The Attitude Determination & Control Systems Division is responsible to precisely determining the location and orientation of the satellite in orbit via sensors. Then using control systems and on-board actuators, re-orient the satellite to a target position.

The Earth Observation Division is a standalone effort responsible for creating useful products/applications based around using Earth Observation dataset from satellites already in orbit.

The main project of the Division is WinSAT’s CyroRoute project. CryoRoute is a software package that uses sea ice thickness data from ESA’s CryoSat-2 to “Generating Globally-Optimized Naval Routes in the Arctic Ocean”. The Earth Observation Division recently attended the ESA Atlantic from Space Workshop to present the Team’s work and abstract poster at the National Oceanographic Centre in Southampton, UK.