ANDE-RR Active (MAA) (Navy-OSCAR 61)

Spacecraft n°:

US spacecraft n°:

Launch data:

Consiste of: ANDE MAA Spere 1 Designation  29664 / 06055F Mass at launch  52.04 kg Basic shape  Sphere Dimension (m)  0.483 dia Earth orbit on Dec 22.92: Perigee / Apogee  312 x 337 km Eccentricity  0.002 Inclination  51.63 deg Period  91.02 min Reentered date:  25 Dec 2007 Lifetime:  380 days

Credit: NRL

Description:

• The Atmospheric Neutral Density Experiment Risk Reduction (ANDERR) flight is a mission flown by the Naval Research Laboratory to monitor the thermospheric neutral density at an altitude of 350km. The primary mission objective is to test the deployment mechanism from the Space Shuttle for the ANDE flight in 2009. Scientific objectives of the ANDE risk reduction flight include:
  • Verify deployment system.
  • Monitor total neutral density along the orbit for improved orbit. determination of resident space objects.
  • Monitor the spin rate and orientation of the spacecraft.
  • Provide a test object for polarimetry studies using the HI-CLASS system at the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing facility (AMOS).
• The ANDERR mission consists of two spherical spacecraft fitted with retro-reflectors for satellite laser ranging (SLR), the Mock ANDE Active spacecraft (MAA) and the Fence Calibration spacecraft (FCal). Each spacecraft contains a small light-weight payload designed to determine the spin rate and orientation of the spacecraft from on-orbit measurements and from ground based observations. A unique design requirement of one satellite is to telemeter the data to the ground without external protrusions from the spherical spacecraft (i.e. an antenna).
• On Dec. 25, 2007 the MAA (ANDERRA) spacecraft re-entered the atmosphere; the FCal (ANDERRP) spacecraft is re-entered on May 25, 2008.
• The MAA satellite carried a communications system developed by the USNA that uses two aluminum hemispheres as the ends of a dipole antenna, at amateur radio frequencies. This system acted as a backup communications platform in the full ANDE mission, planned for 2009. The MAA also carried 6 photovoltaic cells that are positioned at the end points of three nearly orthogonal axes. These were used to determine spin vector orientation and spin rate. MAA also carried six onboard laser diode beacons (810 nm) that were commanded on during passes over AMOS, which observed the light from the diodes to deduce the MAA spin rate and orientation. A thermal monitoring system measured the temperature at several locations on the MAA spacecraft.
• The Fcal satellite carried a communications system developed by the STENSAT group that uses a CubeSat as the bus for a communications system that operates at amateur radio frequencies. The FCal also carried 6 phototransistors that were positioned at the end points of three nearly orthogonal axes. These were used to determine spin vector orientation and spin rate. A thermal monitoring system measured the temperature at several locations on the FCal spacecraft.

Mission details:

• Atmospheric Neutral Density Experiment (ANDE) Risk Reduction flight consists of 2 small satellites: Mock ANDE Active (MAA) and FenceCalibration (FCal). Nickel coated aluminium hollow spheres with laser retro reflectors. MAA also has 3 laser emitting diodes.
• Released from shuttle cargo bay.