CubeSatSim Kit Information

This page has information about the Beta CubeSatSim Kits from early 2024.

If you have a v2.0 Kit, here are the Kit instructions

Kit contents

• A: MPU6050 IMU/gyro blue sensor and 8 pin male header (the right angle pin header is not used)
• B: BME280 Pressure, temperature, altitude, and humidity purple sensor and 4 pin male header
• C: JST wires to be soldered onto the solar panels (10x)
• D: Double stick tape for attaching solar panels to the frame
• E: Solar panels (10x)
• F: Small Phillips screw driver for frame hardware
• G: Frame, 4 parts: top/bottom (2x), side, and side with camera
• H: Digikey parts containing standoffs, nylon screws and nuts, SMA coax and antennas, etc (see below for list)
• I: USB-C cable and power plug
• J: Fully assembled Solar board
• K: Fully assembled STEM Payload board with fully programmed Raspberry Pi Pico plugged in and JST jumper
• L: Fully assembled Battery board with JST jumper
• M: Raspberry Pi Zero WH with programmed micro SD card plugged in and Pi Camera
• N: AMSAT Remove Before Flight plug for RBF switch

Note: Parts A, B, C, D, and F are in a zip lock bag.

Here are the Digikey parts (H):

They are packaged in 11 small bags. One bag contains both items 6 and 7, and item 11 is already assembled as the RBF switch so it is not included.

Here is an unboxing video

Kit Instructions

You will need these tools:

• Safety glasses (to protect eyes while soldering or trimming leads)
• Soldering iron and solder (I use lead-free solder, but leaded solder is easier to work with)
• Small Phillips screw driver (included in kit F)
• Scissors to cut double stick tape

Steps

You will need to solder the pin headers on the MPU6050 (A) and BME280 (B) sensors so they can be plugged into the STEM Payload PCB (K). Pay careful attention to make sure the top of the boards are facing up.

Plug them into the sockets on the STEM Payload Board.

Then, the 10 solar panels (E) need to have the JST 2.0 wires (C) soldered on. Red goes to the '+' and Black goes to the '-'. Hot glue can be used to stick the insulation of the wires to the panel to provide extra strength.

Here is a video of the solar panel soldering

Then do the final step in the CubeSatSim assembly using the parts from the previous step plus the rest of the parts:

https://github.com/alanbjohnston/CubeSatSim/wiki/v1.3.2-8.-Board-Stack