Mission type | Technology |
---|---|
Operator | AFRL |
COSPAR ID | 2000-042A |
SATCAT no. | 26414 ![]() |
Mission duration | 2 years, 4 months |
Spacecraft properties | |
Manufacturer | Spectrum Astro |
Launch mass | 130 kilograms (290 lb) |
Power | 330 watts |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | July 19, 2000 |
Rocket | Minotaur I |
Launch site | Vandenberg SLC-8 |
Contractor | Orbital Sciences |
End of mission | |
Decay date | 12 November 2002 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Low Earth |
Eccentricity | 0.00266 |
Perigee altitude | 548.0 kilometers (340.5 mi) |
Apogee altitude | 585.0 kilometers (363.5 mi) |
Inclination | 97.8 degrees |
Period | 96.0 minutes |
Epoch | 19 September 2000, 16:09:00 UTC [1] |
Instruments | |
Fourier Transform Hyperspectral Imager | |
MightySat-2.1, [2] also known as P99-1 or Sindri was a small spacecraft developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory [3] to test advanced technologies in imaging, communications, and spacecraft bus components in space.
MightySat II.1 was manufactured by Spectrum Astro [2] in a modular approach, using, e.g., VME-based subsystems, and a planar payload deck for small experimental payloads. The satellite measured 0.67m x 0.83m x 0.86m (WxLxH) and had a launch weight of 123.7 kg (Bus Mass: 87.1 kg). Power was provided by 2-axis articulated Si solar arrays with a designed end-of-life power output of 330 W. The attitude determination and control subsystem featured a 3-axis zero-momentum-bias reaction wheel assembly with a Sun sensor, a star tracker and inertial measurement units, delivering an attitude jitter of 15.7 arcsec/sec, and pointing accuracy and knowledge of 648 and 540 arcsec, respectively. The communication was compatible with the US Air Force space-ground link system with data rates of 1 Mbit/s for payload/experiments data downlink, 2.0 kbit/s for command uplink, and 20 kbit/s for telemetry downlink. Computing and data handling was done by a RAD6000 CPU @ 20 MIPS with an IEEE VME backplane 128 MByte CPU RAM, and a 21.6 MBytes/sec transfer rate, and a 2 Gbit solid state recorder for science data. Among its 10 experiments was a Fourier transform hyperspectral imager. [4]
MightSat II.1 was launched on July 19, 2000, with a Minotaur I. It deorbited in November 2002 due to natural decay of its orbit, exceeding more than twice its nominal lifetime. [4]
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