Orbital Express Astro
Autonomous Space Transporter and Robotic Orbiter
DARPA owned. Astro is the main satellite, and
Nextsat
is the capured on.
The 3-month mission including the 2 satellites is worth $300 million
Major test objectives include autonomous operations, including rendezvous from
7 km with a capability to support rendezvous at separation distances up to 1000
km and beyond; onboard relative navigation and guidance systems; a robotic arm
system; multiple captures of the
Nextsat
client spacecraft performed directly and using the robotic arm; sub-meter range
autonomous station-keeping; fluid and component transfer; and passive,
targetless rendezvous sensor systems.
It experienced orientation difficulties right after launch which could be
fixed.
In Apr 2007 the satellite autonomously transferred propellant fuel and a
battery from one spacecraft to another, marking industry firsts for the system.
In May 2007, it succeeded in autonomous free flight and capture.
Out
of service
|
21
Jul 2007
|
Cause
|
Planned
end of mission
|
Decay
|
|
sat-index articles
Prime
contractor
|
Boeing
|
Platform
|
|
Mass
at launch
|
952
kg
|
Dry
mass
|
|
Dimension
|
|
Solar
array
|
|
Stabilization
|
|
DC
power
|
|
Design
lifetime
|
3
months
|