.jpg) Artist concept of NanoSail-D in space | |
| Mission type | Technology demonstration |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA |
| Mission duration | Failed to orbit 7 days (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | 3U CubeSat |
| Manufacturer | NASA Ames Research Center NASA Marshall Space Flight Center |
| Launch mass | 4 kg (8.8 lb) |
| Dimensions | 30 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm (11.8 in × 3.9 in × 3.9 in) |
| Power | Batteries |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 3 August 2008, 03:34UTC |
| Rocket | Falcon 1 #3 |
| Launch site | Kwajalein Atoll,Omelek |
| Contractor | SpaceX |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 330 km (210 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 685 km (426 mi) |
| Inclination | 9.0° |
| Period | 90.0 minutes |
NanoSail-D was a smallsatellite which was to have been used byNASA'sAmes Research Center to study the deployment of asolar sail in space. It was a three-unitCubeSat measuring 30 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm (11.8 in × 3.9 in × 3.9 in), with a mass of 4 kg (8.8 lb).[1] The satellite was lost shortly after launch due to a problem with thelaunch vehicle carrying it; however, a replacement,NanoSail-D2, was launched in 2010 to complete its mission.
NanoSail-D was to have been deployed on the third flight of theFalcon 1 launch vehicle, which was launched fromOmelek Island at 03:34UTC on 3 August 2008.[2] One of two CubeSats aboard, along withPRESat, it was a secondary payload to theTrailblazer which was to have been operated by theOperationally Responsive Space Office of theUnited States Department of Defense. The launch was conducted bySpaceX, and also carried aspace burial payload (Celestis-07) forCelestis. Two minutes and forty seconds after launch, the spent first stage of the rocket was jettisoned; however, unexpected residual thrust caused it to recontact the second stage, which resulted in the rocket being thrown off course. Unable to achieve orbit, the rocket and payloads fell into thePacific Ocean.[3]
NanoSail-D was to have been operated in alow Earth orbit with aperigee of 330 km (210 mi), anapogee of 685 km (426 mi) and 9.0° ofinclination. It would have been operational for around seven days,[1] after which time it would have been expected to run out of power. Its solar sail had an area of 10 m2 (110 sq ft).[1] The satellite was developed and tested in four months.[4]
NanoSail-D2 was built as a ground spare for NanoSail-D. Following the launch failure of NanoSail-D in August 2008, NanoSail-D2 was launched on aMinotaur IV launch vehicle in November 2010, and deployed from theFASTSAT satellite.
Solar sail CubeSats
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. | This article about one or more spacecraft of the United States is astub. You can help Wikipedia byadding missing information. |
