SPROUT

Spacecraft nº:

Japanese spacecraft nº: 198

Launch data: Designation  39770 / 14029E Launch date  24 May 2014 - 03:05 UT Launch site  Tanegashima, YLP-1 Launch vehicle  H-2A-202 Mission  Technology Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  619 x 634 km Eccentricity   Inclination   97.9° Period  97.1 min

Spacecraft data: Prime manufacturer  Nihon University Platform   Operator  Nihon University Mass at launch  7 kg Dry Mass   kg Basic shape  cube Dimension  20 cm side Equipment  combined membrane structure section which is 1.5 m long Solar array  none, solar cells Stabilization   Propulsion   DC power   Design lifetime

The secondary payloads integrated on the adapter ring of the second stage (image credit: JAXA)

Description:

• SPROUT (Space Research On Unique Technology) is the second small sized satellite under development at Nihon University. The development of SPROUT began in the winter of 2005, as a successor of SEEDS.
• SPROUT consists of a cubic main section that is 20 cm long per side, and a combined membrane structure section which is 1.5 m long. After reaching orbit, SPROUT will carry out several technological experiments at orbital altitudes of 600 km. It will verify the deployment of a membrane structure and test at the end of the mission the de-orbiting by utilizing air-resistance by using the deployed membrane structure. Additionally, earth imaging and amateur radio communications services by transmitting audio and visual data from space to earth's surface will be performed.

Mission details:

• SPROUT, a 7 kg Nihon University experiment to deploy a 1.5m inflatable triangular membrane, was launched on May 24, 2014.

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