AEROCUBE 3
Satellite information AEROCUBE 3
| Spacetrack Directory Name | AEROCUBE 3 |
| Orbit launches |
2009-05-19 |
| Deorbitation date |
2011-01-06 |
| Days in orbit | 597 |
| Country/organisation of origin | USA (US) |
| Starting point | WLPIS (Wallops Island) |
Additional information AEROCUBE 3
After launch, AeroCube-3 will remain attached to the upper stage of its carrier rocket by means of a 61-meter (200 ft) tether. Experiments will be conducted to determine the satellite''s flight dynamics. A wide-angle camera will be used to image the upper stage. The satellite will also reel in the tether, moving closer to the upper stage. The primary systems demonstrated were a two-axis solar tracker and an Earth tracker, which could be used in the guidance systems of future satellites. It also carried a 0.6-meter (2 ft 0 in) balloon used for tracking tests and to increase drag, increasing the satellite''s rate of orbital decay after its mission was completed.
Photos AEROCUBE 3 Photos: 5
