Early Thursday, a Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle carried four small satellites into orbit from Virginia, marking the commencement of a government-funded technology demonstration mission aimed at evaluating a new spacecraft design.
The satellites, encased in a cylindrical dispenser, were perched atop the 59-foot-tall (18-meter) Electron rocket as it launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility at 12:03 am EST (05:03 UTC). Just over an hour after liftoff, the rocket’s upper stage deployed the satellites individually at an altitude of around 340 miles (550 kilometers).
This launch initiated a “proof of concept” mission to assess the feasibility of a novel satellite design known as DiskSats. These were conceived by the Aerospace Corporation, a nonprofit federally funded research and development center. NASA and the US Space Force jointly sponsor the project, supporting both the DiskSat’s development and launch.
“DiskSat is a lightweight, compact, flat disc-shaped satellite designed for optimizing future rideshare launches,” the Aerospace Corporation states.
DiskSats measure 39 inches (1 meter) in diameter, roughly twice the size of a New York-style pizza, and are just 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) thick. Made from composite carbon fiber, each unit is equipped with solar cells, control avionics, reaction wheels, and an electric thruster for manipulating and maintaining altitude.
“The launch went perfectly, and the DiskSat dispenser worked exactly as designed,” noted Darren Rowen, the project’s chief engineer. “We’re pleased to have established contact with all four of the DiskSats, and we’re looking forward to the rest of the demonstration mission.”
A new form factor
Since its inception in 1960, the Aerospace Corporation has played a pivotal role in supporting the US military and NASA. Some years back, engineers there devised the DiskSat concept in response to the evolving requirements in governmental spaceflight.