First Advisor

Andrew Greenberg

Date of Award

Spring 5-23-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science and University Honors

Department

Computer Science

Language

English

Subjects

CubeSat, Helmholtz, cage, aerospace, software

Abstract

Abstract

This paper details the successful development and deployment of a Helmholtz cage system, designed to produce precisely controlled magnetic fields for testing and calibration purposes. The core focus was on creating a robust, modular software architecture enabling independent current modulation on each axis, comprehensive serial communication between multiple microcontrollers, and real-time data acquisition from the MR3 magnetometer. All software components, including the serial communication drivers, control algorithms, command line interface, and calibration routines, were developed from the ground up. The system was fully operational upon completion: all hardware components functioned as intended, serial communication with each subsystem was reliable, and calibration routines yielded consistent and repeatable results. The MR3 magnetometer successfully provided field strength data, confirming the ability to read and interpret magnetic data via the serial interface. Although the attempt to simulate the Earth’s magnetic field vector revealed measurable deviations, this discrepancy is believed to stem from calibration errors rather than environmental interference and hardware limitations. Overall, the project delivered a complete and functioning Helmholtz cage platform with foundational software infrastructure, offering a replicable model for future student and research use in aerospace CubeSat testing and Earth field simulation.

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