Mike Passaretti

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Mike Passaretti is a pioneering figure in small satellite engineering, with a focused expertise in CubeSat power systems and deployable mechanisms. His most cited work, "Development of a Solar Array Drive Assembly for CubeSat" (2010, 9 citations), addresses a critical bottleneck in miniaturized spacecraft: the need for efficient, sun-tracking solar arrays on platforms traditionally limited to body-mounted panels. This contribution helped bridge the gap between CubeSat capabilities and the power demands of advanced payloads, enabling a new class of missions. Passaretti’s research directly supports the emerging niche of high-performance small satellites, demonstrating that compact bus structures can now host instruments once reserved for larger spacecraft. His work is foundational for engineers seeking to maximize power generation in volume-constrained designs, and his 2010 paper remains a key reference for solar array drive assembly development in the CubeSat community. Through this innovation, Passaretti has helped accelerate the transition of CubeSats from educational tools to serious scientific and commercial platforms.