Passive Inspection CubeSat

Passive Inspection CubeSats, or PICS, is a technology demonstration spacecraft mission utilizing two CubeSat miniaturized satellites, identified as PIC-A and PIC-B. The project was developed by students at Brigham Young University (BYU) as part of NASA's Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNA) initiative beginning in 2016.[1][2] The satellites are outfitted with cameras to be able to get a 360-degree view to visually assess the exterior of other spacecraft and detect possible damage. BYU professor David Long termed the project a "spacecraft selfie cam."[3][4]

Not to be confused with PicSat, a French CubeSat active in 2018.
Passive Inspection CubeSats (PIC-A & PIC-B)
Mission typeTechnology Demonstration
OperatorBrigham Young University
COSPAR ID2021-002
WebsiteBYU Advanced Spacecraft Group
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type1U CubeSat each
ManufacturerBrigham Young University
Dry mass1.35 kg each
PowerSolar cells, batteries
Start of mission
Launch date17 Jan 2020 (2020-01-17Z) UTC
RocketLauncherOne
Launch siteMojave Air and Space Port, California, United States
ContractorVirgin Orbit
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Pericircular altitude500 km
Apocircular altitude500 km
Inclination60.69
 

PIC-A and PIC-B were originally scheduled to be launched in 2018, but launch was delayed until 2021. PICs was successfully launched into orbit along with eight other CubeSats during Virgin Orbit's Launch Demo 2 on January 17, 2021. In Virgin Orbit's first successful air-launch-to-orbit, the Boeing 747-400 Cosmic Girl carried a LauncherOne orbital rocket from Mojave Air and Space Port to the Pacific Ocean, where LauncherOne separated from the aircraft and achieved orbit.[5]

See also

References
  1. "Passive Inspection CubeSats". Brigham Young University. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
  2. "NASA Announces Seventh Round of Candidates for CubeSat Space Missions". NASA. 2016. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
  3. "This BYU camera is launching into orbit to take photos of NASA spacecraft". BYU News. November 11, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  4. Bennett, Lauren (November 11, 2020). "This BYU camera is launching into orbit to take photos of NASA spacecraft". KSL.com. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  5. "Announcing the Window for Launch Demo 2". Virgin Orbit. 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2021.


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