Falconsat 3

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General

Designation	30776 / 07006E
Launch date	9 Mar 2007
Country of origin	United States
Mission	Technology
Perigee/Apogee	558/560 km
Inclination	35.4°
Period	95.8 min
Launch vehicle	Atlas 5 #9

Will monitor the ambient plasma, and test a micropropulsion attitude control system. Has communication problems, first contact could be established on 23 Mar 2007.

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End of life

Decay

21 Jan 2023

sat-index articles

Technical data

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Specifications

Prime contractor	US Air Force Academy
Platform
Mass at launch	54 kg
Dry mass
Dimension
Solar array
Stabilization
DC power
Design lifetime

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Micro Propulsion Attitude Control Systems (MPACS)

=> pulsed plasma thrusters that are the cutting edge of rocket research developed by AFRL/PR;

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Flat Plasma Spectrometer (FLAPS)

=> developed by NASA/GSFC & USAFA to flight demonstrate a new-generation of MEMS-based sensors and collect detailed measurements of the space plasma;

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Plasma Local Anomalous Noise Environment (PLANE)

=>developed by USAFA to investigate the localized plasma environment around a spacecraft.

In addition, FalconSAT 3 will carry a shock ring vibration suppression device developed by AFRL/VS and a shape-memory composite actuated gravity gradient boom also developed by AFRL/VS.

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