TechEdSat

TechEdSat-1

Computer-aided design drawing of TechEdSat-1
Names	TES-1
Mission type	Technology demonstration
Operator	NASA Ames Research Center · San Jose State University · University of Idaho · JAXA · ÅAC Microtec
COSPAR ID	2012-038D (1998-067CQ) [1]
SATCAT no.	38854
Mission duration	213 days (achieved) 100 days (planned)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	CubeSat
Bus	CubeSat
Launch mass	1.2 kg (2.6 lb)
Dimensions	11.35 cm x 10.0 cm x 10.0 cm (1U)
Power	1.229 watts
Start of mission
Launch date	21 July 2012, 02:06:18 UTC
Rocket	H-IIB F3
Launch site	Tanegashima Space Center, Yoshinobu LC-Y2
Contractor	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Deployed from	ISS Kibō Delivered by Kounotori 3
Deployment date	4 October 2012, 15:44:15.297 UTC
End of mission
Decay date	5 May 2013
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude	402 km (250 mi)
Apogee altitude	422 km (262 mi)
Inclination	51.66°
Period	92.80 minutes

TechEdSat Engineering Development Unit

TechEdSat Solar Panel

CubeSats deployed to orbit from the International Space Station (ISS) on 4 October 2012 (from left: TechEdSat-1, F-1 and FITSAT-1).

The first TechEdSat (later renamed "TechEdSat-1" or "TES-1")[2][3] was a 1U-Cubesat designed to evaluate Space Plug-and-play Avionics (SPA) designed in Sweden by ÅAC Microtec. It was also originally intended to perform a communications experiment utilizing the Iridium and Orbcomm satellite phone network,[4] although this function was disabled before launch.[5] TechEdSat was deployed into orbit from the International Space Station (ISS) on 4 October 2012. It reentered to atmosphere on 5 May 2013.[6]

An Iridium transceiver flew aboard the PhoneSat v2a CubeSat as the TechEdSat-2 mission, separate from the spacecraft originally planned as TechEdSat-2.[13]

Alexander, also known as PhoneSat 2.0 Beta or PhoneSat v2a is a technology demonstration satellite operated by NASA's Ames Research Center, which was launched on 21 April 2013. Part of the PhoneSat programme, it was one of the first three PhoneSat spacecraft, and the first Phonesat-2.0 satellite, to be launched. A PhoneSat-2.0 satellite, Alexander, was built to the single-unit (1U) CubeSat specification, and measures 10 cm (3.9 in) in each dimension. The satellite is based around an off-the-shelf Samsung Electronics Nexus S smartphone which serves in place of an onboard computer. The satellite is equipped with a two-way S-band transponder and solar cells for power generation. The spacecraft uses the phone's gyroscopes, along with a GPS receiver, to determine its position and orientation, and a system of reaction wheels and magnetorquer coils for attitude control.[14]

TechEdSat-3p was the third spacecraft flown in the TechEdSat series. Its dimensions were approximately 30 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm, or three CubeSat units long, making it three times larger than TechEdSat-1. TechEdSat-3p was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on 3 August 2013 from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan on the Kounotori 4 (HTV-4) International Space Station cargo resupply mission and subsequently deployed into orbit by the JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD).

TechEdSat-3p was the first satellite of the TechEdSat series to include an exo-brake, a parachute-like drag device to demonstrate passive deorbit capability.[15] The deployment of an exo-brake increases the surface area of a satellite, increasing its coefficient of drag in the thin upper atmosphere and causing the satellite to deorbit faster than it otherwise would. This technology could be used to more quickly dispose of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that have completed their missions, decreasing the amount of potentially hazardous debris in space. The exo-brake is currently being developed for use as part of the Small Payload Quick Return (SPQR) concept, which would enable science materials to be returned to Earth from the International Space Station whenever is most convenient for scientists rather than just a few times per year aboard a returning cargo resupply vehicle.

According to smallsat logistics company ÅAC Microtech, a main power distribution board designed for TechEdSat-1 was reused on the TechEdSat-3p mission.[16]

Deployment of the TechEdSat-3p satellite from the ISS

TechEdSat-4 was a 3U CubeSat mission developed, integrated, and tested at NASA Ames Research Center in partnership with student interns from San Jose State University (SJSU) in California and the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. The objective of the TechEdSat-4 mission was to demonstrate new technologies including satellite-to-satellite communications and an upgraded Exo-Brake device to demonstrate a passive deorbiting. TechEdSat-4 was launched as a secondary cargo payload on the Cygnus CRS Orb-2 ISS resupply mission. The launch vehicle was the Orbital Sciences Corporation Antares-120, launching from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia on 13 July 2014.[17] TechEdSat-4 was deployed from the International Space Station via the Nanoracks CubeSat Deployer on 4 March 2015.[18][19]

The satellite decayed from orbit on 3 April 2015.[20]

On 27 February 2015, a series of CubeSats, small experimental satellites, were deployed via a special device mounted on the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) (Kibō module) Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS). Deployed satellites included twenty Flock-1b satellites, TechEdSat-4, GEARRSAT, LambdaSat, and MicroMAS.

TechEdSat-5 was a 4 kg, 3.5U CubeSat that was launched on 9 December 2016 aboard the Kounotori 6 (HTV-6) cargo resupply spacecraft, and was deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) at 18:20 UTC on 6 March 2017.[21] It was the first satellite in the TechEdSat program to include a modulated Exo-Brake that was could adjust the amount of atmospheric drag on the spacecraft, enabling a targeted re-entry.[22] The TechEdSat-5 Exo-Brake was cross-shaped, made of mylar, and used a combination of mechanical struts and flexible cords.[23] Its surface area was approximately 0.35 square metres.[21] A "Cricket" Wireless Sensor Module (WSM) was included with TechEdSat-5.[24] The satellite reentered the atmosphere on 29 July 2017 after successfully operating for 144 days.[23]

Simulated view of TechEdSat-5 after deployment from the International Space Station

TechEdSat-6 was a CubeSat 3.5U that was launched at 12:19:51 UTC on 12 November 2017 aboard the Cygnus CRS-8 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS).[25][26] It was deployed from the Nanoracks CubeSat Deployer on 20 November 2017.[27] In addition to the primary payload, it contained a CubeSat Identity Tag (CUBIT), a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag developed by DARPA and SRI International to assist in future identification of satellites. It successfully reentered the atmosphere on 14 May 2018.[28][29]

TechEdSat-6, seen here just after being deployed from the International Space Station, was a CubeSat mission that tested technologies intended to make it easier to return science materials to Earth from space.

TechEdSat-7 was a 2U CubeSat that was intended to test a High Packing Density Exo-Brake. It was launched on the first successful flight of Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne launch vehicle on 17 January 2021 as part of NASA's ELaNa program. It flew with a CubeSat Identity Tag (CUBIT), a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag developed by DARPA and SRI International to assist in future identification of satellites.[30] The satellite decayed from orbit on 4 May 2022.[31]

TechEdSat-8 (Technical and Educational Satellite-8) was CubeSat 6U. It was built as a conjoined project between San Jose State University (SJSU) and the University of Idaho as a collaborative engineering project, with oversight from the NASA Ames Research Center. It was a technology demonstration mission to further develop and demonstrate the Exo-Brake system through, designed for continued operation in high temperature environments, the full recovery of a payload. It featured a semi-autonomous control system to target the entry face point, as well as capabilities to measure a unique ablation device on the forebody. This technology, known as a "Hot Exo-Brake" could enable more precisely-targeted atmospheric reentries. An ablation device was also flying on the spacecraft.

Mission

The satellite established communication with controllers and, as of 20 February 2019, was reportedly performing well in advance of a targeted reentry.[36] The satellite failed shortly after deployment due to a loss of power from its solar panels, and re-entered in the atmosphere of Earth on 20 April 2020.[37][38]

An exploded view of TechEdSat-8, a satellite designed to test communication and precision deorbit technologies.

TechEdSat-10 deploys from the International Space Station

TechEdSat-10 exo-brake precision de-orbit technology demonstration deploying in orbit around Earth.

TechEdSat-10 (TES-10) was a 6U (1 x 6U) (previously announced as 3U) CubeSat that was selected in 2018 to launch as part of the ELaNa program.[39]

TechEdSat-13 is a 3U CubeSat that is intended to test and validate three different technologies, including an Exo-Brake. Along with other cubesats (PAN-A and B, GEARRS-3, SteamSat-2, STORK-3, ADLER-1) it was launched on the third successful flight of Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne launch vehicle on 13 January 2022 as part of the STP-27VP mission ("Above the Clouds"). TechEdSat-13 uses the Loihi neuromorphic chip, representing an artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) payload application.

TechEdSat-15 was a 3U CubeSat. It was launched on 1 October 2022 as a rideshare payload on a Firefly Alpha rocket. Despite it being its first mission reaching Earth orbit, due to a lower-than-intended deployment orbit most of the satellites re-entered before reaching their intended design life.[43]

TechEdSat-9 and TechEdSat-11 are planned to fly at some point in the future.[44] TechEdSat-9, like TechEdSat-10, is planned to test radio communication technologies for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and others.[37]

TechEdSat-12 will test technologies for the tracking and identification of small satellites. It will carry a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, a radar reflector, and an L-band antenna. It was selected for launch in February 2020 by NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative, and will be delivered to orbit on a launch contracted through the ELaNa program.[45]