Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT)¶

Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) covers the practical work of turning individual CubeSat subsystems into a functioning spacecraft and verifying that it meets mission and launch requirements. This includes mechanical assembly, electrical integration, incremental bring-up, functional verification, simulation, and environmental testing. A structured AIT approach helps catch interface issues early, reduces risk during launch and operations, and improves overall mission reliability.

Assembly¶

This section covers the mechanical and electrical assembly of CubeSat subsystems into the final spacecraft. Topics include assembly order, tooling, cleanliness, documentation, and verification steps during build-up. Good assembly practices reduce rework, prevent damage, and simplify later integration and testing.

Mechanical Assembly¶

To be added here:

Assembly sequence and access planning
Fastener selection, torque, and locking methods
Handling sensitive components and deployables
Inspection and documentation during assembly

Electrical Assembly and Harnessing¶

To be added here:

Cable routing and strain relief
Connector mating and verification
Harness labeling and documentation
Avoiding common integration and handling errors

Integration¶

This section focuses on combining individual subsystems into a coherent system and verifying that interfaces behave as expected. Integration is typically iterative and closely coupled to functional testing and troubleshooting.

Subsystem Integration¶

To be added here:

Incremental integration strategies
Power-first and compute-first bring-up approaches
Managing shared resources (power, buses, timing)
Identifying and isolating interface issues

Flatsat and Integration Test Setups¶

To be added here:

Flatsat configurations and use cases
Breakout boards and test harnesses
Safe testing of flight hardware outside the structure
Transitioning from flatsat to integrated spacecraft

Simulation and Testing¶

This section covers simulation and testing methods used during CubeSat design, integration, and verification. Topics include functional simulation, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, flatsat setups, environmental testing, vibration and thermal considerations, and software test strategies. Simulation and testing are essential for catching integration issues early and reducing mission risk.

Environmental Testing¶

To be added here:

Vibration, thermal, and vacuum testing
Common standards (e.g. NASA GEVS, ECSS)
Access to testing facilities vs. DIY methods

Functional and Integration Testing¶

To be added here:

Subsystem-level vs. system-level testing
Flatsat setups and incremental bring-up
Interface validation between boards and subsystems
Regression testing during hardware and software iteration

Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) Testing¶

To be added here:

Using simulators to emulate sensors, actuators, and space environment inputs
Mixing real flight hardware with simulated subsystems
Timing, latency, and fault-injection testing
Common tools and frameworks for HIL setups

Software Testing and Validation¶

To be added here:

Unit testing and integration testing for flight software
On-target vs. host-based testing
Handling real-time constraints and watchdog behavior
Test strategies for fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR)

Mission Simulation¶

To be added here:

End-to-end mission simulations and timelines
Orbit and attitude propagation inputs
Power, thermal, and data budget simulation
Using simulations to validate CONOPS and edge cases

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