PICOSat

PICOSat (also STP P97 -1 or falsely Picosat 9) is a military technology test satellite of the United States.

As the satellite via the Space Test Program (STP) was realized, he got the program designation P97 -1. The full name of the satellite was after the four experiments on board Polymer Battery Experiment Ionospheric Occultation Experiment, Coherent Electromagnetic Radio Tomography, Optical Precision Platform Experiment Satellite, after the initials of the four experiments but was shortened called PICOSat.

After a few previously started pico- satellites whose orbits could not be clearly defined, were designated Picosat 1 to Picosat 8, PICOSat bears in USSPACECOM catalog also the name Picosat 9, even though he has no relationship to these microsatellites.

Construction

The U.S. Defense Department awarded the contract in May 1997 to the British company Surrey Satellite Technology ( SSTL ). The satellite was developed on the basis of the commercial satellite bus SSTL -70. The power supply was ensured by solar cells. PICOSat used for position control of a passive gravitational stabilization.

The following experiments were on board:

  • Polymer Battery Experiment ( PBex ) of the Applied Physics Laboratory
  • Ionospheric Occultation Experiment ( IOX ) of the U.S. Air Force and The Aerospace Corporation
  • Coherent Electromagnetic Radio Tomography ( Certo ) of the United States Naval Research Laboratory
  • Precision Optical Platform Experiment ( OPPEX ) of the Air Force Research Laboratory

Mission

PICOSat was placed in a low earth orbit on 30 September 2001 at 02:40 UTC with an Athena 1 rocket from Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska along with Starshine 3, PCSAT -1 and SAPPHIRE. This first orbital launch of Alaska is also known as Kodiak Star.

The satellite was controlled by the SSTL ground station in Guildford. Another ground station was located in the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. The mission was planned for three years, was closed down in late 2004.

PICOSat ( right) and the other payloads the Kodiak Star mission at the launch preparations

Start of Athena -1 with PICOSat

Artist's impression of PICOSat in orbit

International Designator Athena (rocket family) Orbital inclination United States Air Force Academy Colorado Springs, Colorado
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