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by | Mar 21, 2018 | Anemone

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NEXTSat, or Next Generation Satellite and Commodities Spacecraft (NEXTSat/CSC) was an American technology demonstration satellite which was operated as part of the Orbital Express programme. It was used as a target spacecraft for a demonstration of autonomous servicing and refueling operations performed by the ASTRO satellite.[2] Launched in March 2007, it was operated for four months, and then deactivated in orbit.

NEXTSat was launched by United Launch Alliance on an Atlas V 401 rocket; serial number AV-013. The launch occurred at 03:10 UTC on 9 March 2007, from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.[3] The launch was contracted by the Space Test Program to launch the STPSat-1 spacecraft, and was named STP-1. It also deployed ASTRO; as well as FalconSAT-3, CFESat and MidSTAR-1.[2] The launch marked the first time United Launch Alliance had launched an Atlas V, the type having previously been operated by International Launch Services.

NEXTSat was a 224-kilogram (494 lb) spacecraft,[2] which was built by Ball Aerospace around the RS-300 satellite bus.[4] It was operated in low Earth orbit; on 9 March 2007, it had a perigee of 490 kilometres (300 mi), an apogee of 498 kilometres (309 mi), 46.0 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 94.49 minutes.[5] After completing operations, the ASTRO and NEXTSat spacecraft were separated, and ASTRO performed a separation burn. On 21 July 2007, NEXTSat was deactivated. As of 2007, it was expected to remain in orbit until around 2012.[6] The satellite decayed from orbit on 21 April 2023.[7]

References

  1. ^ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Trajectory Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  2. ^ a b c Krebs, Gunter. "NEXTSAT/CSC". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  3. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  4. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Ball: RS-300". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  5. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  6. ^ Clark, Stephen (23 July 2007). "Satellite in-space servicing demo mission a success". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  7. ^ "OE (NEXTSAT)". N2YO.com. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.


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