Electron launches South Korean imaging satellite and NASA photo voltaic sail
WASHINGTON — Rocket Lab launched a South Korean smallsat and a NASA solar sail experiment on the company’s fifth flight of the yr April 23.
An Electron rocket lifted off from Rocket Lab’s Launch Intricate 1 in New Zealand at 6:32 p.m. Jap. Liftoff was delayed just about 20 minutes since of a issue with floor machines. The rocket’s kick phase, deployed from the upper phase 9 minutes following liftoff, carried out a series of maneuvers to deploy its two payloads into different orbits.
The kick phase first moved into a circular orbit at an altitude of 520 kilometers, deploying the NEONSAT-1 spacecraft about 50 minutes following liftoff. The stage then moved into a 1,000-kilometer orbit before deploying the ACS3 satellite a person hour and 45 minutes following liftoff.
NEONSAT-1, the key payload of the mission, is an imaging satellite with a mass of about 100 kilograms. The spacecraft is element of a constellation of 11 spacecraft known as New-place Earth Observation Satellite Constellation for Countrywide Security, with the other 10 to be launched by South Korea’s Nuri rocket in 2026 and 2027.
The spacecraft, produced by South Korea’s Satellite Technologies Analysis Middle at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technological innovation, carries a digicam process able of taking pictures with a resolution of 1 meter. The South Korean government ideas to use the satellite, and the later on constellation, for civil and national stability purposes.
ACS3, or the State-of-the-art Composite Photo voltaic Sail System, is a 12U cubesat formulated at NASA’s Ames Research Middle employing a bus furnished by NanoAvionics. Right after post-launch checkouts, the spacecraft will deploy a solar sail with an location of 80 sq. meters.
The main goal of ACS3 is to examination new, lightweight booms produced of composite products and a deployment system for the sail, but if the sail is productively unfurled the spacecraft will take a look at its means to maneuver working with it. That expected deploying ACS3 in a better orbit to limit the effects of atmospheric drag.
“The hope is that the new systems verified on this spacecraft will inspire other individuals to use them in ways we haven’t even regarded as,” mentioned Alan Rhodes, direct techniques engineer for ACS3 at NASA Ames, in a assertion right before the launch.
The launch was the fifth flight this calendar year for the Electron, but the 1st in much more than a thirty day period following a mission for the National Reconnaissance Workplace March 21 from Rocket Lab’s Start Intricate 2 in Virginia. Corporation executives mentioned in an earnings simply call in February that the firm has 22 Electron launches prepared for the 12 months, two of which are of its HASTE suborbital model.
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WASHINGTON — Rocket Lab launched a South Korean smallsat and a NASA solar sail experiment on the company’s fifth flight of the yr April 23.
An Electron rocket lifted off from Rocket Lab’s Launch Intricate 1 in New Zealand at 6:32 p.m. Jap. Liftoff was delayed just about 20 minutes since of a issue with floor machines. The rocket’s kick phase, deployed from the upper phase 9 minutes following liftoff, carried out a series of maneuvers to deploy its two payloads into different orbits.
The kick phase first moved into a circular orbit at an altitude of 520 kilometers, deploying the NEONSAT-1 spacecraft about 50 minutes following liftoff. The stage then moved into a 1,000-kilometer orbit before deploying the ACS3 satellite a person hour and 45 minutes following liftoff.
NEONSAT-1, the key payload of the mission, is an imaging satellite with a mass of about 100 kilograms. The spacecraft is element of a constellation of 11 spacecraft known as New-place Earth Observation Satellite Constellation for Countrywide Security, with the other 10 to be launched by South Korea’s Nuri rocket in 2026 and 2027.
The spacecraft, produced by South Korea’s Satellite Technologies Analysis Middle at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technological innovation, carries a digicam process able of taking pictures with a resolution of 1 meter. The South Korean government ideas to use the satellite, and the later on constellation, for civil and national stability purposes.
ACS3, or the State-of-the-art Composite Photo voltaic Sail System, is a 12U cubesat formulated at NASA’s Ames Research Middle employing a bus furnished by NanoAvionics. Right after post-launch checkouts, the spacecraft will deploy a solar sail with an location of 80 sq. meters.
The main goal of ACS3 is to examination new, lightweight booms produced of composite products and a deployment system for the sail, but if the sail is productively unfurled the spacecraft will take a look at its means to maneuver working with it. That expected deploying ACS3 in a better orbit to limit the effects of atmospheric drag.
“The hope is that the new systems verified on this spacecraft will inspire other individuals to use them in ways we haven’t even regarded as,” mentioned Alan Rhodes, direct techniques engineer for ACS3 at NASA Ames, in a assertion right before the launch.
The launch was the fifth flight this calendar year for the Electron, but the 1st in much more than a thirty day period following a mission for the National Reconnaissance Workplace March 21 from Rocket Lab’s Start Intricate 2 in Virginia. Corporation executives mentioned in an earnings simply call in February that the firm has 22 Electron launches prepared for the 12 months, two of which are of its HASTE suborbital model.