Kestrel Eye 2M (Kestel Eye Block 2M)

Launch data: Designation  42982 / 98067NE Launch date  14 Aug 2017 - 16:31 UT Launch site  CCK, LC39A Launch vehicle  Falcon-9 v1.2 Mission  Reconnaissance, electro-optical Launch platform  ISS Kibo, LEO Deployment date  24 Oct 2017 - 09:45 UT Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  400 x 407 km Inclination   51.6° Period   min

Spacecraft data:

Description:

• The Technology Center is developing Kestrel Eye as an electro-optical nanosatellite- class imagery satellite that will be tasked by the tactical ground component Warfighter. Capable of producing 1.5-meter resolution imagery, Kestrel Eye′s data will be downlinked directly to the same Warfighter via a data relay network that is also accessible by other Warfighters in theater without any continental United States (CONUS) relay or data filtering. The intent is to demonstrate a tactical space-based imagery nanosat that could be proliferated in large numbers to provide a persistent capability to ground forces.
• The primary objective of the demonstration will be to task the satellite to take a picture of a designated ground object of interest and have that image relayed back to the ground Warfighter during the same satellite pass (i.e., within an approximately 10-minute tasking-to-product cycle).

Mission details:

• On Oct 24, 2017 the NanoRacks KABER deployer was used for the first time by the Exp. 53 crew.
  KABER is used for 50 kg class satellites; it was extracted from the Kibo airlock by the Canadarm-2/Dextre robot arm combo (in contrast to the cubesat deployers which use the smaller JAXA JEM-RMS arm). The US Army′s Kestrel Eye II-M imaging satellite was ejected into orbit.

External links:

• US.Army: Satellite Information
• Satellite tracking: Real time satellite tracking