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Fastsat HSV01


Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite (HSV = Huntsville)
Also called USA 220

General


Designation 37225 / 10062D
Launch date 20 Nov 2010
Country of origin United States
Mission Technology
Perigee/Apogee 650 km
Inclination 72°
Period  
Launch vehicle Minotaur 4 #10

Demonstrated the capability to build, design and test a microsatellite platform to enable governmental, academic and industry researchers to conduct low-cost scientific and technology experiments on an autonomous satellite in space.

Operated by NASA. Was designed in 14-months by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama

It houses three atmospheric and space weather payloads from NASA's GSFC and the U.S. Naval Academy. A threat detection system and miniature star tracker from the Air Force Research Laboratory are also on board.

It is also to eject NASA's Nanosail D cubesat, which aims to be the first satellite to deploy a solar sail for propulsion in low Earth orbit. Developed by Marshall and NASA Ames Research Center, Nanosail D will use a solar sail to deorbit itself, potentially demonstrating a new way to bring satellites back to Earth without any chemical propellant.

On 6 Dec 2010, NanoSail D1 (cubesat size) was to be ejected, but failed. Then on 18 Jan 2011, the ejection occured spontaneously. After 3 days, 4 booms deployed and unfloded a 9.3 square meter polymer sail. The sail should demonstrate how to deorbit a satellite without using propellant. And of course, the solar sail is to produce energy used by the satellite. Later it proved to descend slower than expected (orbit the Earth in a flat spin as opposed to a random tumble).

External resources


http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/smallsats/fastsat/
http://www.crestnrp.org/nanosail/
http://www.nanosaild.org/
sat-index articles



Technical data



Specifications


Prime contractor NASA
Platform  
Mass at launch 140 kg
Dry mass  
Dimension  
Solar array  
Stabilization  
DC power  
Design lifetime  


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