BRICSat-P (NO 83, Navy-OSCAR 83)

Spacecraft nº:

US spacecraft nº:

Launch data: Designation  40655 / 15025E Launch date  20 May 2015 - 15:05 UT Launch site  CC, SLC-41 Launch vehicle  Atlas V-501 Mission  Technology, Communication Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  350? x 700? km Eccentricity   Inclination  55? ° Period   min

Spacecraft data:

Description:

• BRICSat-P (Ballistic Reinforced Communication Satellite) is a low cost 1.5U CubeSat built by the US Naval Academy Satellite Lab in collaboration with George Washington University, that will demonstrate on-orbit operation of a Micro-Cathode Arc Thruster (µCAT) electric propulsion system and carries an Amateur communication payload.

Mission details:

• On May 20, 2015 an Atlas V orbited an X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle into an unknown orbit.
• After releasing the X-37B, the Centaur AV-054 rocket stage reignited to reach a 355 x 700 km x 55-57 deg orbit and at around 17:00 UTC released a set of 9 cubesats. Centaur then made a third burn to deorbit itself over the Indian Ocean.
• BRICSAT-P is another USNA 1.5U cubesat, built in collaboration with George Washington Univ., testing an electric micropropulsion system.