AeroCube 4 (original) (raw)
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AeroCube 4 [The Aerospace Corporation]
AeroCube-4 was a CubeSat technology demonstration mission within the PicoSat Program of The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA. The AeroCube-4 CubeSat series of 3 spacecraft was also designated as AC4-A, AC4-B and AC4-C. Two of the Aerospace-4 CubeSats were built for a national security agency. The third CubeSat was built for the for SMC/XR (Space and Missile Systems Center/Development Planning Directorate). The 3 satellite AeroCube-4 constellation was operated by The Aerospace Corporation.
The SMC/XR AeroCube-4 was a CubeSat with a 1U form factor and a mass of ~1.2 kg that contains various �first of a kind� mission technologies, including solar panel wings that close and open to tune the ballistic coefficient enabling efficient formation flying, three-axis attitude control to 1� absolute accuracy.
AeroCube 4A and 4B, also called the AeroCube 4.5 series, were successfully launched with AeroCube 4 and implement a smallsat communications tech demonstration.
AeroCube 4C consists a launch vehicle environment data logger, which measures launch vibration in-situ, and contains a deorbit drag device that will be mechanically deployed at the end of its primary mission (size of 0.3 m2).
All three satellites were successfully launched on an Atlas-5(401) rocket.
| Nation: | USA |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Technology |
| Operator: | The Aerospace Corporation |
| Contractors: | The Aerospace Corporation |
| Equipment: | |
| Configuration: | CubeSat (1U) |
| Propulsion: | None |
| Power: | 2 deployable and retractable solar arrays, solar cells, batteries |
| Lifetime: | |
| Mass: | 1 kg |
| Orbit: | 478 km � 779 km, 64.68� (#4A); 483 km � 779 km, 64.68� (#4B); 488 km � 780 km, 64.69� (#4C) |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AeroCube 4A (AC 4-A, AeroCube 4.5A) | 2012-048K | 13.09.2012 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(401) | with Intruder 11, Intruder 12, CINEMA 1, CSSWE, Aeneas, SMDC-ONE 2.1, SMDC-ONE 2.2, STARE A, CXBN, AeroCube 4B, AeroCube 4C, CP 5, OUTSat |
| AeroCube 4B (AC 4-B, AeroCube 4.5B) | 2012-048L | 13.09.2012 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(401) | with Intruder 11, Intruder 12, CINEMA 1, CSSWE, Aeneas, SMDC-ONE 2.1, SMDC-ONE 2.2, STARE A, CXBN, AeroCube 4A, AeroCube 4C, CP 5, OUTSat |
| AeroCube 4C (AC 4-C, AeroCube 4) | 2012-048M | 13.09.2012 | Va SLC-3E | Atlas-5(401) | with Intruder 11, Intruder 12, CINEMA 1, CSSWE, Aeneas, SMDC-ONE 2.1, SMDC-ONE 2.2, STARE A, CXBN, AeroCube 4A, AeroCube 4B, CP 5, OUTSat |
Further AeroCube missions:
- AeroCube 1
- AeroCube 2
- AeroCube 3
- AeroCube 4A, 4B, 4C
- AeroCube 5A, 5B, 5C
- AeroCube 6A, 6B (CubeRAD A, B)
- AeroCube 7A, 7B, 7C (OCSD A, B, C)
- AeroCube 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D (IMPACT A, B, C, D)
- AeroCube 9 (LMPC)
- AeroCube 10A, 10B (JimSat, DougSat)
- AeroCube 11A, 11B (TOMSat EagleScout, TOMSat R3)
- AeroCube 12A, 12B
- AeroCube 14A, 14B (IMPACT 2A, 2B)
- AeroCube 15A, 15B (Rogue Alpha, Beta)
- AeroCube 16A, 16B
- AeroCube 18A, 18B