RAX

RAX

USA

Spacecraft n°:

US spacecraft n°:

Radio Aurora Explorer - Also called: USA 218

Designation	37223 / 10062B
Launch date	20 Nov 2010 - 01:25 UT
Launch site	Kodiak, LP-1
Launch vehicle	Minotaur-4 HAPS
Mission	Civil/Government: Scientific Research
Sun-Synchronous LEO Earth orbit on Dec 7.65:
Perigee / Apogee	622 x 654 km
Eccentricity	2,21E-03
Inclination	71.97 deg
Period	97.47 min

First flight version rocket

Prime contractor	University of Michigan
Platform
Operator	National Science Foundation
Mass at launch	2.6 kg
Dry Mass	kg
Basic shape	3U cube
Dimension (m)	0.1 x 0.1 x 0.3
Equipment
Solar array
Stabilization
Propulsion
DC power
Design lifetime	Still active

The Radio Aurora Explorer is the National Science Foundation's first satellite, a 3kg 3U cubesat built by the University of Michigan.
Studies of the ionosphere, receiving radar signals from ground stations which can be used to measure activity in the ionosphere.
RAX's primary mission is to study dense plasma clouds in Earth's upper atmosphere. These clouds can disrupt communication between Earth and orbiting spacecraft, and RAX's operators hope the little satellite's measurements can help minimize communication problems in the future.

Ref.: #7(JR635), #206, #226, #228, #245 - update: 15.03.11