Mechanical design and thermal analysis of a 12U CubeSat MTCW lidar based optical measurement system for littoral ocean dynamics

In this work, we designed a 12U CubeSat Platform for a Multi-Tone Continuous Wave Lidar system, utilizing coherent detection, which is used as an optical altimetry and velocimetry measurement device. The spacecraft is designed to be operational for a period of 6 to 12 months, and the primary goals are to develop a standalone small spacecraft technology that enables an optical remote sensing. Here, we describe the mechanical design and the thermal analysis of the spacecraft. Due to the random vibration and shock response during launching, a vibration isolation was designed to protect the optical components and alignments. The necessity of high optical power creates thermally localized hot spots that need to be dissipated while remaining in the operational temperature range. We designed thermal dissipation systems, including radiators, heat pipes, thermo-electric coolers, and used space-grade exterior paint to sustain the operation of the MTCW Lidar in the 12U CS.