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Assemblying the satellite

This chapter will describe the steps required to place the rails, inside and outside boards on the correct order and position on order to assemble the PocketQube. It is recommended to open the CAD assembly file, released in Mechanical Structure, to help visualize it.


What you need


Step 1: Place the inside boards and rails

  • Start by putting the camera board inside the -Y rail, with the camera pointing towards the inside of the rail;

  • Place four M3 (8 mm) standoffs in each corner and screw them;

TIP: making a cross pattern, screw the standoffs only a couple of times each until they give a lot of resistance

  • Plug the main board onto the camera board by its vertical connectors and make sure it aligns in the corners;

  • Again, place four M3 (8 mm) standoffs in each corner and screw them;

  • Plug the bottom battery board onto the stack, add four M3 (6 mm) standoffs in each corner and screw them;

  • Solder both batteries to the corresponding polarity pads in each face of the middle battery board;

  • Fix the batteries and its wires to the board with Kapton adhesive tape;

  • Plug the finished middle battery board on top of the current satellite stack;

  • Place four M3 (6 mm) standoffs in each corner and screw them;

  • Plug the top battery board onto the middle one;

  • Place the +Y rail on top of the stack and make sure its inserts match the silk note circles positions in the battery board;

  • Screw the rail and board in place with 4 units of M3 (6 mm) screws;


Step 2: Add the outside boards

  • Carefully connect the u.FL to u.FL antenna cable to the main board connector and leave the other end outside the stack;

  • Place -X solar board in its designed face, with solar cells outwards and making sure the placement of the side connector between the board and the stack is correct;

  • Screw the board in place with 4x M2 (5 mm) screws, following the same screwing technique as before;

  • Repeat the previous points with the +Y and +Z boards;

  • Place and screw the -Y board to the -Y rail with 4x M3 (4 mm) screws;

  • After that, connect the remaining end of the u.FL cable to the -Z board connector and place the board. Managing the cable through the +X side, certify that it passes through the inside board's hollow space present in the -Z side;

  • When completed, screw the board with 4x M2 (5 mm) units;

  • Finally, close the satellite with the +X board and screw it with 4x M2 (5 mm) screws;


Step 3: Tie the antenna

  • Tightly wrap the antenna strips around the satellite and temporarily fix them with adhesive tape;

  • Cut two pieces of fishing line with around 20 cm long;

TIP: this length is more than enough but it makes the tying easier.

  • Pass the line through the first antenna tip hole and the first burn wire, tie it with a square knot and cut the surplus;

  • Repeat the previous point on the other antenna strip;


Video guide

Press on the image to be redirected to view the video guide on YouTube.

Assemblying the satellite