NEXTSat

USA

Spacecraft n°:

USA satellite n°:

Also called: OE-2. (Orbital Express)

Launch data:

Designation	30774 / 07006C
Launch date	09 Mar 2007 - 03:10 UT
Launch site	CC, SLC-41
Launch vehicle	Atlas-5(401)(AV-013)
Mission	Technology
Earth orbit on Mar 9.19:
Perigee / Apogee	490 x 498 km
Inclination	46.03°
Period	94.50 min

Spacecraft data:

Prime contractor
Operator
Platform
Mass at launch	227 kg
Dry Mass	kg
Basic shape	Octagonal Cyl + panel
Dimension (m)	1.02 long, 1 dia
Solar array
Stabilization
DC power
Design lifetime

Orbital Express ASTRO and NextSat autonomously perform operations while mated.

Left: Boeing technicians perform a post-integration inspection of the Orbital Express program. Right: the STP 1 payload, with Orbital Express above and the four smaller spacecrafts. (Source: DARPA)

Mission details:

Astro and NextSat remained attached to each other till 2007 April 17.7; separated and redocked several times. Astro/Nextsat were deployed to a 490 x 498 km x 46.0 deg orbit.
NextSat turned of 2007 Jul 21.

Ref.: #78a, #206, #207 - update: 03.08.13