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The capabilities of micro satellites continue to grow more sophisticated with each passing year, allowing them to be used to carryout different types of missions those once required with much large satellite platforms. The miniaturization of electronic components enabled to develop satellites of small size, ranging 10–100 kg. The benefits of developing the micro satellite leads to shorter development times and much lower costs than for larger satellite while achieving high levels of performance and capability. This paper summarizes the preliminary design, i.e. selection of suitable structural configuration and vibration analysis of a micro satellite structure of mass not exceeding 50kg. The envelope allowed for the satellite as a secondary payload by polar satellite launch vehicle is 600*600*600 mm3. Since it is a spinning satellite having spin rates between 4 to 8 rpm, the Moment of Inertia about the spinning axis should be greater than other two axes by at least 11%.

In recent years satellites of small sizes have been in development. Since electronic components are miniaturized and efficient, it is possible to develop satellite of small dimensions. The spirit of development of the small satellite in the world has been encompassed by the slogan “faster, better, smaller, cheaper”. The classes of satellite, which have the mass ranging from 10–100 kg, is called the micro-satellite. There are number of analysis like sensitivity analysis, vibration analysis, dynamic analysis and thermal analysis to be carried out in the development of the micro satellite both theoretically and experimentally. This paper discusses the free vibration analysis of a micro-satellite of mass less than 60kg. The micro satellite considered for this analysis is a spinning cuboids structure of 600mmx600mmx600mm dimensions with 18 subsystems positioned so as to meet the C.G and M.I. constraints.