TechEdSat

TechEdSat-1

CAD drawing of TechEdSat-1
Mission type	Technology demonstration
Operator	San Jose State University · University of Idaho · JAXA · ÅAC Microtec · NASA
COSPAR ID	1998-067CQ
SATCAT no.	38854
Start of mission
Launch date	21 July 2012, 02:06:00 (2012-07-21UTC02:06)
Rocket	H-II
Deployment date	5 May 2013
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee altitude	402 kilometers (250 miles)
Apogee altitude	422 kilometers (262 miles)
Inclination	51.65
Period	92.80 minutes
Epoch	9 October 2012

The first TechEdSat (later renamed "TechEdSat-1" or "TES-1")[1][2][3] was a 1-U Cubesat designed to evaluate Space Plug-and-play Avionics (SPA) designed in Sweden by ÅAC Microtec. It was also originally intended to perform a communications experiment utilizing the Iridium and Orbcomm satellite phone network,[4] although this function was disabled before launch.[5] TechEdSat was deployed into orbit from the International Space Station on 4 Oct 2012. It reentered to atmosphere on 5 May 2013.[6]

NSSDCA ID: 2012-038D[7]

Hardware[8]

• Quake Global Q1000 Modem ( Orbcomm ) (Deactivated)
• Quake Global Q9602 Modem ( Iridium ) (Deactivated)
• Stensat Radio Beacon
• 4x nanoRTU (ÅAC Microtec)
• Main Power Distribution Board (ÅAC Microtec)
• RTU Lite (ÅAC Microtec)
• 2 meter band Monopole Antenna
• 70cm band Monopole Antenna
• 1600 MHz Patch Antenna
• Pumpkin, Inc. 1U Skeletonized CubeSat Structure
• Canon BP-930 Lithium-ion battery

TechEdSat Engineering Development Unit

TechEdSat Solar Panel

CubeSats deployed to orbit from the International Space Station on 4 October 2012 (from left: TechEdSat, F-1 and FITSAT-1).

TechEdSat-2 was planned as a 6U CubeSat, a collaboration between ÅAC Microtec in Sweden and NASA Ames.[12]

An Iridium transceiver flew aboard the PhoneSat v1b CubeSat as the TechEdSat-2 mission, separate from the spacecraft originally planned as TechEdSat-2.[13]

PhoneSat v1b (TES-2) SATCAT no.: 39142

PhoneSat v1b (TES-2) COSPAR ID: 2013-016A

PhoneSat v1b (TES-2) NSSDCA ID: 2013-016A[7]

PhoneSat v1b (TES-2) Orbital Parameters:[14]

• Perigee: 218 kilometres (255 mi)
• Apogee: 228 kilometres (258 mi)
• Inclination: 51.64 degrees
• Period: 88.95 minutes
• Epoch: 24 April 2013

TechEdSat-3p was the third spacecraft flown in the TechEdSat series. Its dimensions were approximately 30*10*10 cm, or three CubeSat units long, making it three times larger than TechEdSat-1. TechEdSat-3p was launched to the International Space Station on 20 November 2013 from Tanegashima, Japan on the HTV-4 International Space Station cargo resupply mission and subsequently deployed into orbit by the JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer.

TechEdSat-3p was the first satellite of the TechEdSat series to include an exo-brake, a parachute-like drag device to demonstrate passive deorbit capability.[15] The deployment of an exo-brake increases the surface area of a satellite, increasing its coefficient of drag in the thin upper atmosphere and causing the satellite to deorbit faster than it otherwise would. This technology could be used to more quickly dispose of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that have completed their missions, decreasing the amount of potentially hazardous debris in space. The exo-brake is currently being developed for use as part of the Small Payload Quick Return concept, which would enable science materials to be returned to Earth from the International Space Station whenever is most convenient for scientists rather than just a few times per year aboard a returning cargo resupply vehicle.

According to smallsat logistics company ÅAC Microtech, a main power distribution board designed for TechEdSat-1 was reused on the TechEdSat-3p mission.[16]

NSSDCA ID: TECHEDS3P[7]

Deployment of the TechEdSat-3p satellite from the ISS

TechEdSat-4 was a 3U CubeSat mission developed, integrated, and tested at NASA Ames in partnership with student interns from San Jose State University in California and the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. The objective of the TechEdSat-4 mission was to demonstrate new technologies including satellite-to-satellite communications and an upgraded Exo-Brake device to demonstrate a passive deorbiting. TechEdSat-4 was launched as a secondary cargo payload on the Cygnus CRS Orb-2 ISS resupply mission. The launch vehicle was the Orbital Sciences Corporation Antares-120, launching from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, VA on 13 July 2014.[17] TechEdSat-4 was deployed from the International Space Station via the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer on 4 March 2015.[18][19]

On Feb. 27 2015, a series of CubeSats, small experimental satellites, were deployed via a special device mounted on the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS). Deployed satellites included twelve Dove sats, TechEdSat-4, GEARRSat, LambdaSat, and MicroMas.

TechEdSat-5 was a 4 kg, 3.5U CubeSat that was launched on 9 December 2016 aboard the HTV-6 cargo resupply spacecraft, and was deployed from the International Space Station at 18:20 UTC on 6 March 2017.[20] It was the first satellite in the TechEdSat program to include a modulated Exo-Brake that was could adjust the amount of atmospheric drag on the spacecraft, enabling a targeted re-entry.[21] The TechEdSat-5 Exo-Brake was cross-shaped, made of mylar, and used a combination of mechanical struts and flexible cords.[22] Its surface area was approximately 0.35 square metres.[20] A ‘Cricket’ Wireless Sensor Module (WSM) was included with TechEdSat-5.[23] The satellite reentered the atmosphere on July 29, 2017 after successfully operating for 144 days.[22]

Simulated view of TechEdSat-5 after deployment from the International Space Station

TechEdSat-6 was a CubeSat that was launched at 12:19 UTC on 12 November 2017 aboard the Cygnus CRS-8 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.[24][25] It was deployed from the NanoRacks Nanolauncher on 20 November 2017.[26] In addition to the primary payload, it contained a CubeSat Identity Tag (CUBIT), a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag developed by DARPA and SRI International to assist in future identification of satellites. It successfully reentered the atmosphere on 14 May 2018.[27]

TechEdSat-6, seen here just after being deployed from the International Space Station, was a cubesat mission that tested technologies intended to make it easier to return science materials to Earth from space.

TechEdSat-7 is a 2U CubeSat that is intended to test a High Packing Density Exo-Brake. It is planned to launch on Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne as part of NASA's ELaNa program. It will fly with a CubeSat Identity Tag (CUBIT), a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag developed by DARPA and SRI International to assist in future identification of satellites.[28]

Operators: SJSU, NASA Ames Research Center

TechEdSat-8 was a 6 unit CubeSat that included an exo-brake designed for continued operation in high temperature environments. This technology, known as a "Hot Exo-Brake" could enable more precisely-targeted atmospheric reentries. An ablation device was also flying on the spacecraft. TechEdSat-8 was originally planned to launch with the Cygnus NG-10 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station as part of the ELaNa program, but instead launched aboard the SpaceX CRS-16 ISS cargo resupply mission at 18:16 UTC on 5 December,[29] arriving at the ISS on 8 December 2018.[30][31] TechEdSat-8 was deployed into orbit by the JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer at 16:45 UTC on 31 January 2019.[32] The satellite established communication with controllers and, as of 20 February 2019, was reportedly performing well in advance of a targeted reentry.[33] The satellite failed shortly after launch due to a loss of power from its solar panels, and re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 20 April 2020.[34][35]

An exploded view of TechEdSat-8, a satellite designed to test communication and precision deorbit technologies.

TechEdSat-10 is a 6U (previously planned as 3U) CubeSat that was selected in 2018 to launch as part of the ELaNa program.[36] On 15 February 2020, TechEdSat-10 was launched to the ISS aboard the Cygnus NG-13 cargo spacecraft.[37] Once deployed, TechEdSat-10 will test radio communication and precision deorbit technologies for NOAA and others.[34][37]

TechEdSat-9 and TechEdSat-11 are planned to fly at some point in the future.[38] TechEdSat-9, like TechEdSat-10, is planned to test radio communication technologies for NOAA and others.[34]

TechEdSat-12 will test technologies for the tracking and identification of small satellites. It will carry a radio-frequency identificaition (RFID) tag, a radar reflector, and an L-band antenna. It was selected for launch in February 2020 by NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative, and will be delivered to orbit on a launch contracted through the ELaNa program.[39]

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