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"ASTRO" redirects here. For other uses, see Astro.
Orbital Express: ASTRO and NEXTSat
Orbital Express: ASTRO and NEXTSat

Orbital Express was a space mission managed by the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and a team led by engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new Technology The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program George C Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC the original home of NASA, is a lead center for propulsion, Space Shuttle propulsion Shuttle external fuel The Orbital Express program is aimed at developing "a safe and cost-effective approach to autonomously service satellites in orbit. "[1] The system consisted of two spacecraft: the Autonomous Space Transport Robotic Operations (ASTRO) vehicle and a prototype modular next-generation serviceable satellite (NEXTSat). A spacecraft is a Vehicle or machine designed for Spaceflight. The mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on March 8, 2007, aboard an Atlas V expendable launch vehicle. The Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS is a detachment of the 45th Space Wing (45 SW Patrick AFB provides headquarters functions from the 45 SW a major airfield Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Atlas V Rocket is an Expendable launch vehicle formerly built by Lockheed Martin and now built by the Lockheed Martin- Boeing joint venture An expendable launch system is a Launch system that uses an expendable launch vehicle (ELV to carry a payload into Space. [2][3] The launch was part of the United States Air Force Space Test Program STP-1 mission. The Space Test Program (STP is the primary provider of Spaceflight for the United States Department of Defense (DOD space science and technology community [4]

Contents

Program management and contractors

The Orbital Express program is managed by the Tactical Technology Office (TTO), one of the six technical offices in DARPA. [5] TTO programs include both "Aerospace Systems" such as Orbital Express, and "Tactical Multipliers" such as the "Magneto Hydrodynamic Explosive Munition (MAHEM) program". [6] ASTRO was developed by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, and NEXTSat was developed by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems ( Boeing IDS) based in St Louis, Missouri, USA, is a unit of The Boeing Company responsible for Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp (commonly Ball Aerospace) is a manufacturer of spacecraft components and instruments for national defense civil space and commercial space NASA's involvement is through the Automated Systems and Automated Rendezvous and Docking Division of the Engineering Directorate at MSFC. The MSFC Engineering Directorate also manages the Advanced Video Guidance System (AVGS) for Orbital Express project. [7] The refueling mechanism was designed, developed and produced by VACCO Industries.

Goals

Orbital Express: ASTRO and NEXTSat
Orbital Express: ASTRO and NEXTSat

The project aims to demonstrate several satellite servicing operations and technologies including Rendezvous, Proximity Operations and Station Keeping, Capture, Docking, Fluid (Hydrazine) Transfer, and ORU (Orbit Replaceable Unit) Transfer. Hydrazine is a Chemical compound with the formula N2H4 It has an Ammonia -like odor and is derived from the same industrial chemistry A prime military mission would be to refuel reconnaissance satellites so they can improve coverage, increase surprise and be more survivable. [8]

The fluid (fuel) and ORU (battery) transfers were completed successfully at the lowest levels of spacecraft autonomy. Subsequent transfers over a three month period are intended to demonstrate greater autonomy. [9]

End of mission

The final rendezvous and docking between the two spacecraft occurred on 29 June 2007. Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. This was followed by the final demonstration, the changeout of a flight computer aboard ASTRO. NASA's plans for an extended mission were abandoned. The two craft demated for a final time, with ASTRO backing out to greater than 400 km (250 miles)[10] in a test of sensor performance. Following this the craft performed a rendezvous to a standoff, where decommissioning took place[11]. The NEXTSat spacecraft was deactivated on 21 July, when its computers were turned off, and solar panels pointed away from the Sun. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World Subsequently, ASTRO vented its Hydrazine propellant, and was deactivated on 22 July 2007. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The satellites were left to decay naturally[12]. NextSat is expected to take five years to decay, whilst ASTRO is expected to take fifteen years.

References

  1. ^ Boeing Integrated Defense Systems - Orbital Express. Boeing.
  2. ^ Look Ma! No (Human) Hands!. NASA (March 5, 2007). Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  3. ^ Orbital Express Launches Successfully. NASA.
  4. ^ Orbital Express Space Operations Architecture. DARPA.
  5. ^ TTO Overview. DARPA.
  6. ^ TTO Programs. DARPA.
  7. ^ Engineering Directorate Projects & Customers. NASA.
  8. ^ Orbital Express To Test Full Autonomy for On-Orbit Service, Aviation Week, June 4, 2006
  9. ^ Orbital Express Conducts History’s First Satellite-to-Satellite Hardware Transfer. Aviation Week & Space Technology, often abbreviated Aviation Week or AW&ST, is a weekly Magazine. SatNews (April 19, 2007).
  10. ^ Spaceflight Now - Satellite in-space servicing demo mission a success
  11. ^ Orbital Express Begins End-Of-Life Maneuver, Aviation Week, July 18, 2007
  12. ^ Spaceflight Now - In-space satellite servicing tests come to an end

External links

Aviation Week & Space Technology, often abbreviated Aviation Week or AW&ST, is a weekly Magazine.
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