Vermont Lunar Cubesat

Spacecraft nº:

US spacecraft nº:

Launch data: Designation  39407 / 13064AD Launch date  20 Nov 2013 - 01:15 UT Launch site  WI, LA-0B Launch vehicle  Minotaur-1 Mission  Technology Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  367 x 389 km Eccentricity   Inclination  40.5 ° Period  92.0 min

Description:

• The Vermont Lunar Cubesat is a project to develop the prototype technologies for a triple CubeSat that will be self propelled (chemical rockets, or ion drive) from a geosynchronous piggy-back launch to the moon. The chemical rocket would have a lunar lander, and the ion drive spacecraft would go into lunar orbit. The project is led by Vermont Technical College with parts of the project done by Norwich University and University of Vermont faculty and students and St. Michael’s College students. It is supported by Vermont Space Grant Consortium.
• As a fist step, a single unit CubeSat (1U) pathfinder in low earth orbit will test the navigation system and use NASA’s GPS Enhanced Onboard Navigation System (GEONS) software, a space qualified GPS receiver and a star tracker camera (being built a Norwich University). It will have an onboard computer system, solar power supply and radio transceiver to communicate with the ground station at Vermont Tech.