NASA's LWS/SET technology experiment carrier

This paper examines the approach taken to building a low-cost, modular spacecraft bus that can be used to support a variety of technology experiments in different space environments. It describes the techniques used and design drivers considered to ensure experiment independence from as yet unselected host spacecraft. It describes the technology experiment carriers that will support NASA's living with a star space environment testbed space missions. NASA has initiated the Living With a Star (LWS) program to develop a better scientific understanding to address the aspects of the connected Sun-Earth system that affect life and society. The Space Environment Testbed (SET) project is one element of LWS. The project enables future science, operational, and commercial objectives in space and atmospheric environments by improving the engineering approaches to the accommodation and/or mitigation of the effects of solar variability on technological systems.