Preliminary Design of a Single-Unit CubeSat for a Earthquake Prediction Mission

Naghash, Abolghasem; Zeinoldini, Mohammad Reza; Salemi, Javad; Abri, Mohammad; Nikbakht, Narges; Hosseini Akhgar, Seyed  Yousoof; Hashemzadeh, Mohammad Hassn

doi:10.22034/jsst.2025.1554

Preliminary Design of a Single-Unit CubeSat for a Earthquake Prediction Mission

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

Abolghasem Naghash ¹

Mohammad Reza Zeinoldini ²

Javad Salemi ³

Mohammad Abri ⁴

Narges Nikbakht ⁵

Seyed Yousoof Hosseini Akhgar ⁵

Mohammad Hassn Hashemzadeh ²

¹ Associate Professor, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran. Iran

² M.Sc, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

³ M.Sc. Student, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

⁴ M.Sc. Student, Aerospace Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

⁵ M.Sc, Student, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

10.22034/jsst.2025.1554

Abstract

Earthquake is one of the most significant natural disasters that has always posed a serious threat to human life. Accurate prediction of this phenomenon has been one of the fundamental challenges for humankind, and numerous efforts have been made to achieve it. One of the novel approaches that has gained attention in recent years is the use of CubeSats to monitor variations in the ionospheric layer prior to the occurrence of earthquakes. Changes in the temperature and electron density within this layer can serve as indicators of pre-seismic activities. The analysis of data from several similar missions indicates that this method can identify pre-earthquake anomalies with acceptable accuracy. In this paper, the preliminary design of a single-unit CubeSat is presented using a systems engineering approach. In each subsystem, the key components and design parameters are examined and analyzed, and their numerical values are evaluated. The results show that this design framework can be an effective step toward developing a cost effective, precise, and optimized one-unit nanosatellite for earthquake prediction research. In this study, the preliminary design of a single-unit CubeSat for an earthquake prediction mission is presented through the measurement of temperature and electron density. The main payload of this CubeSat has been selected due to its structural simplicity and higher accuracy compared to other methods. The design process includes mission definition and analysis, systems engineering, payload design, and subsystem development.

Keywords

CubeSat

Earthquake Prediction

Preliminary Design

TENP Probe

Systems Engineering

Subjects

Aerospace Engineering

Article Title Persian

طراحی اولیه ماهواره مکعبی یک واحدی با ماموریت پیش بینی زلزله

Authors Persian

ابوالقاسم نقاش ¹

محمدرضا زین‌الدینی ²

جواد سالمی ³

محمد ابری ⁴

نرگس نیکبخت ⁵

سید یوسف حسینی اخگر ⁵

محمدحسن هاشم زاده ²

¹ دانشیار، دانشکده مهندسی هوافضا، دانشگاه صنعتی امیرکبیر، تهران ، ایران

² کارشناسی ارشد، دانشکده مهندسی هوافضا، دانشگاه صنعتی امیرکبیر، تهران ، ایران

³ دانشجوی کارشناسی ارشد، دانشکده مهندسی هوافضا، دانشگاه صنعتی امیرکبیر، تهران، ایران

⁴ دانشجوی کارشناسی ارشد، دانشکده مهندسی هوافضا، دانشگاه صنعتی شریف، تهران، ایران

⁵ دانشجوی کارشناسی ارشد، دانشکده مهندسی هوافضا، دانشگاه صنعتی امیرکبیر، تهران، ایران

Abstract Persian

زلزله یکی از مهم‌ترین بلایای طبیعی به شمار می‌آید که همواره تهدیدی جدی برای انسان‌ها ایجاد می‌کند. پیش‌بینی دقیق این پدیده از چالش‌های اساسی بشر بوده و تاکنون تلاش‌های متعددی برای دستیابی به آن صورت گرفته است. یکی از رویکردهای نوین که در سال‌های اخیر مورد توجه قرار گرفته، بهره‌گیری از ماهواره‌های کوچک، برای پایش تغییرات لایه‌ی یونوسفر پیش از وقوع زلزله است. تغییرات دما و چگالی الکترون در این لایه می‌تواند به‌عنوان شاخصی از فعالیت‌های پیش‌زلزله‌ای مورد استفاده قرار گیرد.
نتایج بررسی داده‌های چند مأموریت مشابه نشان می‌دهد که این روش قادر است ناهنجاری‌های پیش‌زلزله‌ای را با دقت قابل‌قبولی شناسایی کند. در این مقاله، طراحی اولیه یک ماهواره مکعبی یک‌واحدی با رویکرد سیستمی ارائه شده است، به‌گونه‌ای که در هر زیرسیستم، اجزا و پارامترهای کلیدی موردنیاز برای طراحی بررسی و تحلیل شده و مقادیر عددی مربوط به آن‌ها ارزیابی گردیده است. نتایج حاصل نشان می‌دهد که این چارچوب طراحی می‌تواند گامی مؤثر در جهت ساخت یک نانوماهواره یک‌واحدی مقرون‌به‌صرفه، دقیق و بهینه برای تحقیقات مرتبط با مأموریت پیش‌بینی زلزله شود. در این پژوهش، طراحی اولیه یک ماهواره مکعبی یک واحدی با مأموریت پیش‌بینی زلزله از طریق اندازه‌گیری دما و چگالی الکترون ارائه شده است. محموله اصلی این ماهواره مکعبی به دلیل سادگی ساختار و دقت بالاتر نسبت به سایر روش‌ها انتخاب شده است. فرایند طراحی شامل تعریف و تحلیل مأموریت، مهندسی سیستم، طراحی محموله و زیرسیستم‌ها است.

Keywords Persian

ماهواره مکعبی

پیش بینی زلزله

طراحی اولیه

پراب تنپ

مهندسی سیستم

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