Atmospheric-tracking satellites to ride in space flight space drag – The Press Stories

An artists concept shows one of NASAs LLITED satellites in orbit. (Description of Aerospace Corporation)

Seattle based Space Flight Inc. It says a couple studying the factors behind atmospheric traction have won a deal to handle launch logistics for NASA satellites.

Double cubes for a task called Improvements in low latitude ionosphere / temperature density, Or LLITED, to be launched into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket later this year. That launch marks the first use of Spaceflights Sherpa-LTC orbital transmission vehicle, also known as the OTV or Space Duck.

In January, Sherpa-FX, a different space flight space drag Successfully sent a dozen spacecraft After a Balkan 9 launch. The Sherpa-LTC stands one step above the FX because it has its own orbital propulsion system.

Benchmark Space Systems is a chemically based thruster system built for space travel, making it possible for Sherpa-LDC to switch between different orbits. The space missions mission calls for early round satellite deployment, followed by setting up Shelba to place LLITED satellites in a different orbit.

Spaceflights full service delivery with a portfolio of Sherpa OTV vehicles greatly enhances the scientific opportunities for NASA, universities and other organizations to deploy to non-traditional orbit sites, said Valerie Scroopa, Business Development Director at Spacelight Inc. Said in a news release.

Another type of OTV, the Sherpa-LTE, will soon be introduced with an electric propulsion system.

Each of the LLITED satellites measures 4 by 4 by 6 inches, including their solar rows. The mission team includes scientists and engineers from The Aerospace Corp, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the University of New Hampshire.

At altitudes of 185 to 310 miles (300 to 500 km), LLITED explores the equatorial temperature of the equatorial atmosphere and the anomaly of the wind and the equatorial ionization anomaly that occurs in the region of electrically charged particles.

Aerospaces innovative CubeSat mission will measure both of these aspects simultaneously, a new milestone in orbital satellite capability, said Rebecca Bishop, Lis Linteis chief investigator at Aerospace Corp.

By observing this altitude more closely, scientists will gain a greater understanding of the magnitude of the change in atmospheric density, which affects the size of traction satellites and re-entry rates, Bishop said. Since traction depends on atmospheric density, understanding regional changes in density can help predict the re-entry time and path of an object.

To mark the 10th anniversary of its founding this year, Spaceflight Inc. is engaged in launching nearly 350 satellites in 37 passengers in eight different types of missile vehicles. The company plans to handle logistics for about 10 startups this year.

One such launch took place today. Rocket Laboratory It launched seven satellites from its New Zealand launch pad into low Earth orbit On the Electron Rocket One of those satellites is Blacksky 7, the seventh Earth observation satellite in the Blacksky Global Galaxy.

Spaceflight Inc. handled mission management and coordination services for the Blacksky satellite, not just the Seattle-area connection: Blocksky (Which was once a sister subsidiary of Spaceflight) has offices in Seattle and has built satellites Of Leostella Factory at Tuquila, Wash.

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Atmospheric-tracking satellites to ride in space flight space drag - The Press Stories