WVSAT C-D Spacecraft

Deploy small satellites with two form factors, to test ground station radar tracking, and demonstrate rapid turnaround and deployment of these satellites.

The experiment will use a total of 4 satellite, 2 ThinSats and 2 1U CubeSats, launched as a secondary payload aboard NG16, from the mid - Atlantic Regional Spaceport. The satellites will be inserted into Low Earth Orbit ( LEO), at 260 km apogee and 180 km perigee.

They are deployed from a single Canisterized Satellite D ispenser (CSD) mounted on the Antares second stage of the launch vehicle. The ThinSats unfold accordion style as they exit the CSD; the two CubeSats are separate from the ThinSats. Transmission will begin upon deployment, and cease when de-orbiting occurs.

Each ThinSat spacecraft is comprised of multiple ThinSat units. Each spacecraft will carry the following subsystems. Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Subsystem: Navigation sensors consist of the VEML3328 Single Pixel IR Horizon sensor on each unit, a Grid IR 8x8 Pixel Sensor, a High Quality 32x24 Pixel, Infrared sensor, and a GPS unit.

Each module in each spacecraft, will contain one EyeStar-S3F transmitter, transmitting to the Globalstar constellation; an S3F antenna; and VEML3328 single pixel IR horizon sensor associated with the transmission enable logic.

• PLATFORM - NearSpace Launch
• TRANSCEIVER - NearSpace Launch Globalstar