Orientation
Subsystem Detective: Find the CubeSat Part Behind the Clue — identify CubeSat subsystems by matching clues, symptoms, components, and mission responsibilities.
Student flow
Step 1
Choose learner level
Step 2
Read subsystem role cards
Step 3
Investigate clue cards
Step 4
Match each clue to a subsystem
Step 5
Diagnose one mission symptom
Step 6
Local self-check (assessment)
Step 7
Capture evidence (copy/export)
Step 8
Continue to the next activity
Local-only learning activity. Nothing is submitted; use copy/export or a screenshot to share evidence manually.
Student can identify major CubeSat subsystems, explain each subsystem’s role, and justify which subsystem is involved when a mission clue or symptom appears.
Subsystem Detective: Find the CubeSat Part Behind the Clue — identify CubeSat subsystems by matching clues, symptoms, components, and mission responsibilities.
Open Subsystem Detective at `/twin/learn/activities/orientation_subsystem_detective` — interactive clue matching and symptom diagnosis in the browser (teaching-grade; not a flight simulator).
Printable subsystem cards: write one clue per card and sort into piles by subsystem.
Teaching-grade software activity slot — not a flight simulator or certified propagator.
Learner level
Subsystem roles
Each card names a subsystem, a friendly label, and a detective clue for quick recognition.
Science tool / camera
Collects or delivers the mission’s science, images, or service — the reason many missions exist.
Components: camera / imager, radiometer, science instrument bus interface
Clue: If the mission product is data or imagery from space, follow the payload trail first.
Brain (computer)
Runs flight software, schedules tasks, stores commands, and decides timing for captures and downlinks.
Components: flight computer, scheduler, files / logs
Clue: When someone says “the satellite decided when…” or “task queue,” think computer brain.
Power team
Generates, stores, and distributes electrical power; protects batteries and loads.
Components: solar panels, battery, power converters, current limits
Clue: Voltage sag, eclipse survival, and “do we have enough watts?” land in power.
Pointing team
Measures and controls where the spacecraft points — critical for cameras, antennas, and sun angles.
Components: reaction wheels / magnetorquers, star tracker / sun sensors, control algorithms
Clue: Pointing, stability, “which way is Earth?” — that’s ADCS.
Radio team
Moves telemetry and commands between spacecraft and Earth — radios, modems, antennas, protocols.
Components: radio, antenna, modem, link budget assumptions
Clue: If bits are not moving between space and ground on the radio link, investigate communications.
Body/frame
Mechanical frame, deployment, and survivability — holds everything together through launch and thermal cycling.
Components: frame rails, deployables, fasteners, launch loads analysis
Clue: Launch vibration, stiffness, and mechanical survival usually mean structure.
Temperature team
Keeps components within temperature limits using insulation, radiators, heaters, and analysis.
Components: radiator, heat pipes, surface coatings, thermal model assumptions
Clue: Too hot in sun or too cold in shadow — thermal balance and survival.
Earth team
Operators and facilities on Earth — commanding, scheduling contacts, and recovering data.
Components: ground station antennas, mission control procedures, pass scheduling
Clue: When humans or automation on Earth uplink commands or plan passes, ground segment is involved (often with communications).
Clue matching
Selections filled: 0 / 8 · Self-check matches: 0 / 8
The satellite collected an image of clouds.
The satellite decides when to take a reading.
Battery voltage is dropping during eclipse.
The satellite must point its camera toward Earth.
Telemetry cannot reach the ground station.
The CubeSat must survive launch vibration.
A component is getting too hot in sunlight.
The operator sends a command from Earth.
Symptom diagnosis
Choose one case, then record which subsystem is most involved, what evidence supports it, and what you would check first.
Local self-check
Use this as a self-check and discussion starter. It is local-only and not a grade.
Optional: attaches a local summary (completed / quick checks / checklist count).
Quick check
This is a local self-check to support discussion. It is not a grade.
Quick check: Which subsystem manages electrical power generation, storage, and distribution?
Quick check: Which subsystem points the spacecraft (e.g., toward Earth for imaging)?
Quick check: Which subsystem most directly sends telemetry (engineering data) toward Earth on the radio link?
Quick check: In this orientation lab, what best describes the payload?
Discussion prompt
Write notes for yourself or your group. Nothing is submitted.
Short answer: Pick one clue you matched and explain why it belongs to that subsystem (one or two sentences).
Checklist
Use this to verify you covered key ideas. Nothing is submitted.
Checklist: Subsystem detective readiness (self-check)
0 / 5 checked
Rubric preview
Optional local self-check selections. This is not a gradebook and is not saved to an account.
Rubric preview (self-check): detective reasoning
Clue → subsystem mapping uses responsibility (not lucky guesses).
No selection
Beginning
Matches are inconsistent or unnamed.
Developing
Most matches correct with partial justification.
Proficient
Matches correct with clear subsystem reasoning.
Extension
Explains overlaps (e.g., ground vs communications) with evidence.
Symptom diagnosis names evidence and a sensible first check.
No selection
Beginning
Subsystem named without evidence.
Developing
Subsystem plus partial evidence or check.
Proficient
Subsystem choice aligns with symptom plus evidence and first check.
Extension
Discusses secondary contributors and operational context.
Local summary
Completion
0 / 7 sections complete
Quick checks
0 / 4 correct
Shown only to support self-check.
Checklist
0 / 5 items checked
Reminder
Local-only practice summary. Not a grade and not submitted anywhere.
What this preview is / is not
Capture
Capture what you did, what changed, what you observed, and how you explain it. This stays in your browser unless you copy/share it manually.
Selected inputs
Generated outputs
Checklist
0/2 checked
Evidence artifact (local-only)
Captured: 2026-05-16T07:38:32.327Z · Level: Middle school · Track: orientation
Summary
Copy a readable summary for class notes, or copy JSON for a structured record. Local-only: nothing is submitted.
Evidence artifact (v1) Activity: Subsystem Detective Track: orientation Learner level: Middle school Captured: 2026-05-16T07:38:32.327Z Mission brief: (not provided) Selected inputs: - Learner level: Middle school - Mission symptom: (not selected) - Diagnosed subsystem: (not selected) Generated outputs: - Clue matching summary: ✗ The satellite collected an image of clouds. → (no selection) (answer key: Payload) ✗ The satellite decides when to take a reading. → (no selection) (answer key: OBC / onboard computer) ✗ Battery voltage is dropping during eclipse. → (no selection) (answer key: EPS / electrical power system) ✗ The satellite must point its camera toward Earth. → (no selection) (answer key: ADCS / attitude determination and control) ✗ Telemetry cannot reach the ground station. → (no selection) (answer key: Communication) ✗ The CubeSat must survive launch vibration. → (no selection) (answer key: Structure) ✗ A component is getting too hot in sunlight. → (no selection) (answer key: Thermal) ✗ The operator sends a command from Earth. → (no selection) (answer key: Ground segment) - Self-check: clue matches correct: 0 / 8 (selections filled: 0) - Symptom diagnosis — reasoning: (empty) - Evidence supporting subsystem choice: (empty) - Engineer checks first: (empty) Checklist: - [ ] Clue selections: 0 / 8 - [ ] Symptom diagnosis recorded Observations: (not provided) Reflection: (not provided) Model boundary note: Teaching-grade browser activity. Not flight-certified analysis; no submission, no grade, no teacher visibility without manual sharing. Policy reminder: - Local-only capture. Not submitted anywhere. Not a grade.
Expected outputs learners should be able to show after the lab (Phase 9 evidence engine preview available).
Choose level; read subsystem role cards; match clue statements to subsystems; diagnose one mission symptom; complete local self-check; capture evidence.
Responses are not persisted in this preview unless a specific activity component adds storage later.
Identify the subsystem from a clue or symptom and justify your reasoning with one piece of evidence.
After Activity 00.1, bridge mission objectives to architecture: students practice naming subsystems from clues before Digital Twin Before Hardware.
Teacher guide
20 min intro
Whole-class: role cards + two clues together.
45 min lesson
Pairs complete clue matching + one symptom + self-check + evidence.
90 min lab
Compare answers, debate overlaps (ground vs comm), add rubric reflection.
Misconceptions
Every symptom has exactly one subsystem.
Operations symptoms often involve multiple teams — pick the best primary suspect and cite evidence.
Thermal and structure are the same.
Structure is mechanical survival; thermal is temperature balance — both matter differently.
Evidence here equals a grade.
Evidence is local notes you copy or screenshot — not submitted automatically.
Expected evidence: clue match summary, symptom diagnosis with reasoning, reflection, and copied evidence text. Assessment stays local-only — not visible to teachers unless shared manually.
Suggested progression from the mission learning path. Links avoid missing activity routes.