Small satellite
A small satellite, miniaturized satellite, or smallsat is a
Rationales
Group name[1] | Mass (kg) |
---|---|
Extra Heavy satellite | > 7,000 |
Heavy satellite | 5,001 to 7,000 |
Large satellite | 4,201 to 5,000 |
Intermediate satellite | 2,501 to 4,200 |
Medium satellite | 1,201 to 2,500 |
Small satellite | 601 to 1,200 |
Mini satellite | 201 to 600 |
Micro satellite | 11 to 200 |
Nano satellite | 1.1 to 10 |
Pico satellite | 0.1 to 1 |
Femto satellite | <0.1 |
One rationale for miniaturizing satellites is to reduce the cost; heavier satellites require larger rockets with greater thrust that also have greater cost to finance. In contrast, smaller and lighter satellites require smaller and cheaper launch vehicles and can sometimes be launched in multiples. They can also be launched 'piggyback', using excess capacity on larger launch vehicles. Miniaturized satellites allow for cheaper designs and ease of mass production.
Another major reason for developing small satellites is the opportunity to enable missions that a larger satellite could not accomplish, such as:
- Constellations for low data rate communications
- Using formations to gather data from multiple points
- In-orbit inspection of larger satellites
- University-related research
- Testing or qualifying new hardware before using it on a more expensive spacecraft
History
The
In the 1–50 kg range alone, fewer than 15 satellites were launched annually in 2000 to 2005, 34 in 2006, then fewer than 30 launches annually during 2007 to 2011. This rose to 34 launched in 2012 and 92 launched in 2013.[2]
European analyst Euroconsult projects more than 500 smallsats being launched in 2015–2019 with a market value estimated at US$7.4 billion.[3]
By mid-2015, many more launch options had become available for smallsats, and rides as secondary payloads had become both greater in quantity and easier to schedule on shorter notice.[4]
In a surprising turn of events, the
Classification groups
Small satellites
The term "small satellite",
Small satellite examples[
Small satellite launch vehicle
Although smallsats have traditionally been launched as secondary payloads on larger launch vehicles, a number of companies currently are developing or have developed launch vehicles specifically targeted at the smallsat market. In particular, the secondary payload paradigm does not provide the specificity required for many small satellites that have unique orbital and launch-timing requirements.[8]
Some USA-based private companies that at some point in time have launched smallsat launch vehicles commercially:
- Pegasus (rocket)
- Electron (300 kg)[9]
- Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne (500 kg)[10]
- Rocket 3.3 (100 kg)[11]
- Firefly Aerospace's Firefly Alpha
Microsatellites
The term "microsatellite" or "microsat" is usually applied to the name of an artificial satellite with a wet mass between 10 and 100 kg (22 and 220 lb).[2][6][7] However, this is not an official convention and sometimes those terms can refer to satellites larger than that, or smaller than that (e.g., 1–50 kg (2.2–110.2 lb)).[2] Sometimes, designs or proposed designs from some satellites of these types have microsatellites working together or in a formation.[12] The generic term "small satellite" or "smallsat" is also sometimes used,[13] as is "satlet".[14]
Examples: Astrid-1 and Astrid-2,[15] as well as the set of satellites currently announced for LauncherOne (below)[13]
In 2018, the two
Microsatellite launch vehicle
A number of
In July 2012,
In December 2012, DARPA announced that the Airborne Launch Assist Space Access program would provide the microsatellite rocket booster for the DARPA SeeMe program that intended to release a "constellation of 24 micro-satellites (~20 kg (44 lb) range) each with 1-m imaging resolution."[20] The program was cancelled in December 2015.[21]
In April 2013,
The
The Swiss company Swiss Space Systems (S3) has announced plans in 2013 to develop a suborbital spaceplane named SOAR that would launch a microsat launch vehicle capable of putting a payload of up to 250 kg (550 lb) into low Earth orbit.[24]
The Spanish company PLD Space born in 2011 with the objective of developing low cost launch vehicles called Miura 1 and Miura 5 with the capacity to place up to 150 kg (330 lb) into orbit.[25]
Nanosatellites
The term "nanosatellite" or "nanosat" is applied to an artificial satellite with a wet mass between 1 and 10 kg (2.2 and 22.0 lb).[2][6][7] Designs and proposed designs of these types may be launched individually, or they may have multiple nanosatellites working together or in formation, in which case, sometimes the term "satellite swarm"[27] or "fractionated spacecraft" may be applied. Some designs require a larger "mother" satellite for communication with ground controllers or for launching and docking with nanosatellites. Over 2300 nanosatellites have been launched as of December 2023.[28][26]
A
With continued advances in the miniaturization and capability increase of electronic technology and the use of satellite constellations, nanosatellites are increasingly capable of performing commercial missions that previously required microsatellites.[31] For example, a
Example nanosatellites: ExoCube (CP-10), ArduSat, SPROUT[33]
Nanosatellite developers and manufacturers include EnduroSat, GomSpace, NanoAvionics, NanoSpace, Spire,[34] Surrey Satellite Technology,[35] NovaWurks,[36] Dauria Aerospace,[37] Planet Labs[35] and Reaktor.[38]
Nanosat market
In the ten years of nanosat launches prior to 2014, only 75 nanosats were launched.[26] Launch rates picked up substantially when in the three-month period from November 2013–January 2014 94 nanosats were launched.[35]
One challenge of using nanosats has been the economic delivery of such small satellites to anywhere beyond low Earth orbit. By late 2014, proposals were being developed for larger spacecraft specifically designed to deliver swarms of nanosats to trajectories that are beyond Earth orbit for applications such as exploring distant asteroids.[39]
Nanosatellite launch vehicle
With the emergence of the technological advances of miniaturization and increased capital to support private spaceflight initiatives in the 2010s, several startups have been formed to pursue opportunities with developing a variety of small-payload Nanosatellite Launch Vehicle (NLV) technologies.
NLVs proposed or under development include:
- Ventions' Nanosat upper stage.[41]
- North Star (polar orbit-capable launcher for a 10 kg (22 lb) payload)[42]
- As of April 2013[update], Garvey Spacecraft (now Vector Launch) is evolving their Prospector 18 suborbital launch vehicle technology into an orbital nanosat launch vehicle capable of delivering a 10 kg (22 lb) payload into a 250 km (160 mi) orbit.[22]
- Generation Orbit is developing an air-launched rocket to deliver both nanosats and sub-50 kg microsats to low Earth orbit.[35]
Actual NS launches:
- NASA launched three satellites on 21 April 2013 based on smart phones. Two phones use the PhoneSat 1.0 specification and the third used a beta version of PhoneSat 2.0[43]
- Flock-2P program. This launch was performed during the PSLV-C34mission.
- ISRO launched 103 nanosatellites on 15 February 2017. This launch was performed during the PSLV-C37 mission.[44]
Picosatellites
The term "picosatellite" or "picosat" (not to be confused with the PicoSAT series of microsatellites) is usually applied to artificial satellites with a wet mass between 0.1 and 1 kg (0.22 and 2.2 lb),[6][7] although it is sometimes used to refer to any satellite that is under 1 kg in launch mass.[2] Again, designs and proposed designs of these types usually have multiple picosatellites working together or in formation (sometimes the term "swarm" is applied). Some designs require a larger "mother" satellite for communication with ground controllers or for launching and docking with picosatellites.
Picosatellites are emerging as a new alternative for do-it-yourself kitbuilders. Picosatellites are currently commercially available across the full range of 0.1–1 kg (0.22–2.2 lb). Launch opportunities are now available for $12,000 to $18,000 for sub-1 kg picosat payloads that are approximately the size of a soda can.[45]
Femtosatellites
The term "femtosatellite" or "femtosat" is usually applied to artificial satellites with a wet mass below 100 g (3.5 oz).[2][6][7] Like picosatellites, some designs require a larger "mother" satellite for communication with ground controllers.
Three prototype "chip satellites" were launched to the
In March 2019, the CubeSat KickSat-2 deployed 105 femtosats called "ChipSats" into Earth orbit. Each of the ChipSats weighed 4 grams. The satellites were tested for 3 days, and they then reentered the atmosphere and burned up.[52][53]
Technical challenges
Small satellites usually require innovative propulsion, attitude control, communication and computation systems.
Larger satellites usually use
Small satellites can use conventional radio systems in UHF, VHF, S-band and X-band, although often miniaturized using more up-to-date technology as compared to larger satellites. Tiny satellites such as nanosats and small microsats may lack the power supply or mass for large conventional radio transponders, and various miniaturized or innovative communications systems have been proposed, such as laser receivers, antenna arrays and satellite-to-satellite communication networks. Few of these have been demonstrated in practice.
Electronics need to be rigorously tested and modified to be "space hardened" or resistant to the outer space environment (vacuum, microgravity, thermal extremes, and radiation exposure). Miniaturized satellites allow for the opportunity to test new hardware with reduced expense in testing. Furthermore, since the overall cost risk in the mission is much lower, more up-to-date but less space-proven technology can be incorporated into micro and nanosats than can be used in much larger, more expensive missions with less appetite for risk.
Collision safety
Small satellites are difficult to track with ground-based radar, so it is difficult to predict if they will collide with other satellites or human-occupied spacecraft. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has rejected at least one small satellite launch request on these safety grounds.[54]
See also
- Canadian Advanced Nanospace eXperiment Program
- CanSat
- DRAGONSat picosatellite
- Micro air vehicle
- N-Prize
- Nanosatellite Launch System
- Satellite formation flying
- SPHERES
- Student Space Exploration & Technology Initiative
- University Nanosatellite Program
- AMSAT Amateur Satellite Corp.
- PocketQube
- Rocket Lab
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On November 19th Orbital Sciences, an American company, launched a rocket from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. It carried 29 satellites aloft and released them into low-Earth orbit, a record for a single mission. Thirty hours later, Kosmotras, a Russian joint-venture, carried 32 satellites into a similar orbit. Then, in January 2014, Orbital Sciences carried 33 satellites up to the International Space Station (ISS), where they were cast off a month later.
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External links