NEXTSat

NEXTSat
Mission type Technology
Operator DARPA
COSPAR ID 2007-006C
SATCAT № 30774
Mission duration 4 months
Spacecraft properties
Bus RS-300
Manufacturer Ball Aerospace
Launch mass 224 kilograms (494 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date 9 March 2007, 03:10 (2007-03-09UTC03:10Z) UTC
Rocket Atlas V 401 AV-013
Launch site Cape Canaveral SLC-41
Contractor United Launch Alliance
End of mission
Disposal Decommissioned
Deactivated 21 July 2007 (2007-07-22)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Perigee 490 kilometers (300 mi)
Apogee 498 kilometers (309 mi)
Inclination 46.0 degrees

NEXTSat, or Next Generation Satellite and Commodities Spacecraft (NEXTSat/CSC) is an American technology demonstration satellite which was operated as part of the Orbital Express programme. It was used as a target spacecraft for a demonstration of autonomous servicing and refueling operations performed by the ASTRO satellite.[1] Launched in March 2007, it was operated for four months, and then deactivated in orbit.

NEXTSat was launched by United Launch Alliance on an Atlas V 401 rocket; serial number AV-013. The launch occurred at 03:10 UTC on 9 March 2007, from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.[2] The launch was contracted by the Space Test Program to launch the STPSat-1 spacecraft, and was named STP-1. It also deployed ASTRO; as well as FalconSAT-3, CFESat and MidSTAR-1.[1] The launch marked the first time United Launch Alliance had launched an Atlas V, the type having previously been operated by International Launch Services.

NEXTSat is a 224-kilogram (494 lb) spacecraft,[1] which was built by Ball Aerospace around the RS-300 satellite bus.[3] It was operated in low Earth orbit; on 9 March 2007, it had a perigee of 490 kilometres (300 mi), an apogee of 498 kilometres (309 mi), 46.0 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 94.49 minutes.[4] After completing operations, the ASTRO and NEXTSat spacecraft were separated, and ASTRO performed a separation burn. On 21 July 2007, NEXTSat was deactivated. As of 2007, it was expected to remain in orbit until around 2012.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Krebs, Gunter. "NEXTSAT/CSC". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  2. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  3. Krebs, Gunter. "Ball: RS-300". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  4. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  5. Clark, Stephen (23 July 2007). "Satellite in-space servicing demo mission a success". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 21 March 2011.


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