FalconSAT-2
Encyclopedia
FalconSAT-2 was a satellite built by students of the United States Air Force Academy
as part of the FalconSAT
programme. It was intended to have been placed into low Earth orbit
to study the effects of plasma
on communications with spacecraft, however it failed to reach orbit due to a malfunction of its carrier rocket.
The FalconSAT-2 programme started in late 2000, as a followup to FalconSAT-1. The spacecraft was based on a bus
constructed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd
, with the experiments being constructed at the USAF Academy. The primary instrument aboard FalconSAT-2 was the Miniaturized Electrostatic Analyzer, or MESA. It was originally scheduled to be deployed from , on mission STS-114
in early 2003. Following the Columbia accident
this mission was delayed, and FalconSAT-2 was removed from the Shuttle manifest.
It was then assigned as the payload for the maiden flight of the SpaceX
Falcon 1
carrier rocket, which was launched from Omelek Island
at 22:30 GMT on 24 March 2006. At launch, a corroded nut caused an engine fire, leading to the failure of the engine twenty five seconds into the flight. The rocket fell into the Pacific Ocean
close to the launch site. FalconSAT-2 was thrown clear of the rocket, and landed in a storage shed on Omelek Island, close to its own shipping container.
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
as part of the FalconSAT
FalconSAT
FalconSAT is the name of the United States Air Force Academy's small satellite engineering program. Satellites are designed, built, tested, and operated by Academy cadets. The project is administered by the USAFA Space Systems Research Center under the direction of the Department of Astronautics...
programme. It was intended to have been placed into low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
to study the effects of plasma
Plasma (physics)
In physics and chemistry, plasma is a state of matter similar to gas in which a certain portion of the particles are ionized. Heating a gas may ionize its molecules or atoms , thus turning it into a plasma, which contains charged particles: positive ions and negative electrons or ions...
on communications with spacecraft, however it failed to reach orbit due to a malfunction of its carrier rocket.
The FalconSAT-2 programme started in late 2000, as a followup to FalconSAT-1. The spacecraft was based on a bus
Satellite bus
A satellite bus or spacecraft bus is the general model on which multiple-production satellite spacecraft are often based. The bus is the infrastructure of a spacecraft, usually providing locations for the payload .They are most commonly used for geosynchronous satellites, particularly...
constructed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, or SSTL, is a spin-off company of the University of Surrey, now fully owned by EADS Astrium, that builds and operates small satellites. Its satellites began as amateur radio satellites known by the UoSAT name or by an OSCAR designation...
, with the experiments being constructed at the USAF Academy. The primary instrument aboard FalconSAT-2 was the Miniaturized Electrostatic Analyzer, or MESA. It was originally scheduled to be deployed from , on mission STS-114
STS-114
-Original crew:This mission was to carry the Expedition 7 crew to the ISS and bring home the Expedition 6 crew. The original crew was to be:-Mission highlights:...
in early 2003. Following the Columbia accident
Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in the death of all seven crew members...
this mission was delayed, and FalconSAT-2 was removed from the Shuttle manifest.
It was then assigned as the payload for the maiden flight of the SpaceX
SpaceX
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or more popularly and informally known as SpaceX, is an American space transport company that operates out of Hawthorne, California...
Falcon 1
Falcon 1
The Falcon 1 is a partially reusable launch system designed and manufactured by SpaceX, a space transportation company in Hawthorne, California. The two-stage-to-orbit rocket uses LOX/RP-1 for both stages, the first powered by a single Merlin engine and the second powered by a single Kestrel engine...
carrier rocket, which was launched from Omelek Island
Omelek Island
Omelek Island is part of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. It is controlled by the United States military under a long-term lease and is part of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site.-Geography:The Island is about in size...
at 22:30 GMT on 24 March 2006. At launch, a corroded nut caused an engine fire, leading to the failure of the engine twenty five seconds into the flight. The rocket fell into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
close to the launch site. FalconSAT-2 was thrown clear of the rocket, and landed in a storage shed on Omelek Island, close to its own shipping container.