CubeSat 1U Kit - Atmospheric Sensing Board

Overview

The CubeSat Atmospheric Sensing Board is a compact, educational-grade multi-sensor module designed for high-altitude balloon, stratospheric, and near-space missions. It provides comprehensive atmospheric profiling from ground level through the lower stratosphere using five high-quality environmental sensors controlled by an ATmega328PB microcontroller.

Core Specifications

Microcontroller

1. MCU: ATmega328PB (8-bit AVR)
2. Clock Speed: 8 MHz (default) / up to 20 MHz
3. Flash Memory: 32 KB
4. SRAM: 2 KB
5. EEPROM: 1 KB
6. Firmware: Arduino-compatible bootloader

Sensors

Sensor	Manufacturer	Measured Parameters	Key Specifications
SPS30	Sensirion	PM1.0, PM2.5, PM4.0, PM10	±10% accuracy, optical particle detection
SHT41	Sensirion	Temperature, Relative Humidity	±0.2°C temp, ±1.8% RH accuracy
AHT21	Aosong	Temperature, Relative Humidity	±0.3°C temp, ±2% RH accuracy (redundancy)
BMP180	Bosch	Barometric Pressure, Temperature, Altitude	300–1100 hPa, ~1m altitude resolution
ENS160	ScioSense	TVOC, eCO₂, AQI, Air Quality Index	Multiple gas detection, digital output

Measurement Capabilities

1. Altitude Range: Ground level to ~30 km (lower stratosphere)
2. Temperature Range: -40°C to +85°C (sensor dependent)
3. Pressure Range: 300–1100 hPa
4. Humidity Range: 0–100% RH
5. Particulate Matter: 0–1000 µg/m³ (PM1.0 to PM10)
6. Air Quality: TVOC (ppb), eCO₂ (ppm), and AQI index

Electrical Specifications

1. Operating Voltage: 3.3V
2. Current Consumption:
3. Idle: < 5 mA
4. Active (all sensors): 80–120 mA (peak)
5. Power Interfaces: 5V, 3.3V, and GND pins
6. Communication: I²C (primary), UART SBUS

Physical Specifications

1. Form Factor: EdgeFlyte EDU 1U
2. Dimensions: 83 mm × 83 mm
3. Weight: < 125 grams
4. Mounting: Slide rack mount
5. Connector: 2x5 2.54 mm SBUS headers (EdgeFlyte Board Interconnect Cable)

Environmental & Operational

1. Designed for near-space and stratospheric conditions
2. Operating Temperature: -40°C to +65°C
3. Update Rate: Configurable (1 Hz to 0.1 Hz recommended for balloon missions)

Key Features

1. Full sensor redundancy on temperature and humidity
2. Real-time atmospheric profiling
3. Low power modes for long-duration balloon flights
4. Open-source Arduino library support
5. Easy integration with flight computers and data loggers
6. Educational-friendly design with clear pin labeling

This module is ideal for universities, high schools, STEM programs, and citizen science projects looking to conduct professional-grade atmospheric measurements in near-space environments.