Rock / Lopen (original) (raw)
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Rock and Lopen [Array Labs]
The OreSat 0.5 (Oregon Satellite 0.5) is a 1.5U CubeSat mission to determine the performance of a novel surface coating developed by Array Labs.
The coating is expected to increase the effect of attitude on the amount of drag a spacecraft in LEO experiences, enhancing the ability for LEO spacecraft to intentionally increase or decrease drag forces during a mission. This mission consists of two nearly identical 1.5U satellites. One spacecraft (Lopen) has the novel coating applied to all its external surfaces, and another (Rock) will serve as a control for the experiment and will have no special surface coating applied. Based on each spacecraft�s position over time and their relative. orbital decay rates, Array Labs will demonstrate the effect of the novel coating on drag in LEO. Performance data derived from this mission will be used to inform the design of Array Labs� future earth imagery constellations.
Each spacecraft�s structure provides support and attachment points for the other components of the spacecraft. The corner rails are compliant with the CubeSat standard and provide clearance for the antennas while the spacecraft is stowed in its deployer. The walls of the spacecraft feature a corner cube style retroreflective geometry, to ensure that air molecules which undergo specular reflective collisions are redirected back towards their originating direction. If the Rock & Lopen Satellite Technical Description novel surface coating works as intended, the spacecraft which has been coated will experience much more drag than its uncoated counterpart regardless of any difference in attitude or tumble rates.
Nation: | USA |
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Type / Application: | Technology |
Operator: | Array Labs |
Contractors: | Array Labs |
Equipment: | |
Configuration: | CubeSat (1.5U) |
Propulsion: | None |
Power: | Solar cells, batteries |
Lifetime: | |
Mass: | 1.83 kg |
Orbit: |