Applying Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) to a standard CubeSat

Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is an emerging technology that is providing the next advance in modeling and systems engineering. MBSE uses Systems Modeling Language (SysML) as its modeling language. SysML is a domain-specific modeling language for systems engineering used to specify, analyze, design, optimize, and verify systems. An MBSE Challenge project was established to model a hypothetical FireSat satellite system to evaluate the suitability of SysML for describing space systems. Although much was learned regarding modeling of this system, the fictional nature of the FireSat system precluded anyone from actually building the satellite. Thus, the practical use of the model could not be demonstrated or verified. This paper reports on using MBSE and SysML to model a standard CubeSat and applying that model to an actual CubeSat mission, the Radio Aurora Explorer (RAX) mission, developed by the Michigan Exploration Lab (MXL) and SRI International.