Our Lab
The AggieSat Lab is a Student Satellite Program under the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University that is currently involved in a single satellite project, AggieSat2. In 2004, Dr Helen Reed left Arizona State University (ASU), and the satellite lab she had started at that institution, to join the Texas A&M faculty and establish the AggieSat Lab. Previously, at ASU she led development of two spacecraft; ASUSat1 launched in January 2001, and Three Corner Sat (3CS) launched in December 2004. She brought her expertise, equipment, and graduate students to Texas A&M to establish AggieSat Lab in 2005. Dr. Reed is a professor working with the fluids group at Texas A&M and provides overall leadership for the lab with a passion for mentoring and teaching students with hands on experiences. She serves as the lab's Principal Investigator and primary mentor. Her efforts have established lasting relationships between the lab and NASA, the Air Force, and corporate partners for AggieSat projects. Being a student organization at Texas A&M provides lab members with opportunities to work with students from other departments in coordinating satellites through both the design and fabrication processes. With students from all majors working together, AggieSat Lab provides an exemplary learning environment for undergraduate students.
AggieSat Lab is open to all Texas A&M students of U.S. citizenship. Undergraduates and graduates of all majors, who meet the above requirement and are interested in participating in satellite design, fabrication and testing, can call us at our primary number, (979) 845-2826, or use our Contact Us form listed above.
News Events
April 13, 2010 - 3:41 p.m. CDT
AggieSat2 reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 17 March 2010 after 230 days in orbit. The last orbit data posted by the Air Force for AggieSat2 was taken on the 17th at 5:27:02 UTC. AggieSat2 was over the North Pacific ocean at the time, on the descending node leg of its orbit and falling below 97 km. The spacecraft re-entry footprint is likely along the subsequent orbit track. Approximately 4 hours before, at 1:34:46 UTC AggieSat Lab received its last beacon from the spacecraft capping AggieSat Lab's first end-to-end mission.
During the 230 day flight, 99 contacts were made by students at Texas A&M, and another 30 contacts were officially reported by amateur radio operators globally. 19 Texas A&M students actively participated in direct ground operations, and the team collected DRAGON GPS data for NASA Johnson Space Center for mission success.
February 5, 2010 - 4:35 p.m. CST
Our 5" cubesat AggieSat2 continues to operate on orbit downlinking data to our ground station. The students have operated the satellite 3 times this week, continued the DRAGON download, and have 2 more communication opportunities set for this weekend. We are at the 190-day mark, and an altitude of 281 km. Space Command has notified us that we should burn up around 8 March 2010.
In parallel, undergraduate and graduate students are engaged in the preliminary design phase for the Lab's next mission (AggieSat4) in the LONESTAR campaign with DRAGON Johnson Space Center (David Kanipe, DRAGON Program Manager).
January 6, 2010 - 11:20 p.m. CST
Members of AggieSat Lab successfully conducted a communication pass with AggieSat2 around 5:00 p.m.CST today. Though the maximum elevation was only 42 degrees, two-way communication was maintained for roughly one minute. During communications a health request was made and additional DRAGON GPS data was downloaded.
Students are currently making preparations for another communication pass with AggieSat2. This communication pass will take place at 1:08:00 a.m. CST, January 7th. Maximum elevation is 71.78 degrees with a total horizon-to-horizon time of eight minutes and forty-five seconds.