Overcoming the challenges of developing CubeSat flight software with limited access to satellite hardware

Abstract

The drastic rise of CubeSat missions in recent years has forced satellite developers to deliver satellites at high speeds. The complexity of flight software for missions, however, leaves it susceptible to programmatic failure. To develop the DockSat mission in an acceptable timeframe, this article proposes to utilize digital twins of satellite components to allow software development and complex testing at earlier stages of the mission development cycle where hardware and experimental setups are not available.