What Have We Been Up To?

Dear Subscriber, 

As we reach the end of the first semester, we are excited to share an overview of the fantastic progress our teams have made so far. It has been a busy, productive, and inspiring few months, and we’re delighted to highlight some of the key achievements across the society. 

The Business Development Team has made impressive strides in strengthening the club’s outreach, branding, and industry engagement. They have been actively identifying and tracking potential sponsorship opportunities and have built an initial list of industry partners to approach next semester. Alongside this, they have been creating promotional materials for both CloudView-2 (CV2) and Orcus (CloudView-3), including visual content, video concepts, and a range of social media posts to boost public engagement. The team also helped organise a joint Halloween social with StrathAIS and has already begun preparing for upcoming events, including the UKSEDS regional conference. In addition, they have been working on new merchandise concepts and other branded assets to elevate the society’s visual identity. 

The Imaging Team has also had a productive semester, making steady progress across multiple technical fronts. They conducted extensive testing of the Insta360 X3 camera and began assessing its performance with thermal insulation and external battery systems. The primary CV2 camera has now been handed over to the Software Team for further development. At the same time, the team has been exploring future imaging payloads for Orcus, including LiDAR, UV imaging, and even the possibility of designing an in-house 360° camera. 

The Software Team has advanced several major initiatives. They are preparing an abstract for submission to the IAC and ran workshops introducing the basics of data science, followed by a Q&A session on the pipeline. The team has also been planning the translation of the pipeline into MOJO, preparing to deploy the image-classification system onto the Jetson Nano, and beginning early research into fault-tolerant pipeline designs that will support long-term mission reliability. 

The EPS Team has also delivered several essential systems that form the backbone of CloudView-2’s performance. They successfully designed, built, and tested the CV-2 Power Distribution Module, ensuring reliable and efficient power delivery across the payload. Alongside this, they developed the CV-2 Power Conditioning Module, laying the groundwork for improved power stability in future missions. The team also created a detailed 3D model of the battery box, which was later 3D-printed by the Structures & Deployment Team. 

The ADCS Team has made strong progress across a range of technical tasks. They continued developing code for the CV2 system and began prototyping a new Sun Sensor to support future attitude-determination capabilities. In parallel, they initiated research into a magnetorquer test rig and created a master Simulink block diagram to unify upcoming modelling and simulation work. 

The Communications Team has been actively testing and refining critical communication systems. Their work included conducting range tests between the Ground Station and the on-board transmitter, as well as evaluating different low-noise amplifiers. They have also begun researching patch-antenna options for Orcus-CV3 and investigating wireless-link solutions for communication between PocketQubes in CV-3. Additionally, they tested compatibility between the transmitter and the OBC board to ensure seamless integration as development continues. 

The OBC Team has achieved several key milestones with the introduction of a brand-new On-Board Computer. They have now written all necessary operational code and, impressively, encountered no hardware issues—confirming that the first version of the new circuit board is fully functional. They also successfully transmitted a wireless message to the base station through the Communications system and have begun integrating the OBC with both the ADCS and EPS teams. 

The Structures & Deployment Team has focused on developing the CloudView-2 structure, running deployment tests (including burn-wire trials), and progressing with the 3D manufacturing of the system. They have also completed aesthetic refinements to ensure a polished and professional final design. 

The Thermal Team has been actively developing the thermal design for CV2, examining the environmental factors that will affect the payload. Their work includes strategies for controlling internal temperatures, selecting effective insulation methods, evaluating resistors for a controllable heating system, and exploring the use of space-blanket materials to improve thermal protection within the payload box. 

We are incredibly proud of the dedication, creativity, and hard work shown by all our teams this semester. The progress across every area reflects the talent, passion, and commitment of our members. We are excited to build on this momentum and can’t wait to see everyone again in the second semester for another inspiring chapter of innovation and collaboration.