AggieSat2 Mission Statement
AggieSat2 will collect two orbits (180 minutes) of DRAGON GPS data and return it to the ground
- The spacecraft is not required to collect two consecutive orbits
- University of Texas' Bevo-1 is on the left and Texas A&M's AggieSat2 is on the right.
LONESTAR Program Overview
AggieSat Lab, in conjunction with the University of Texas at Austin, will be developing a series of 4 pairs of satellites for the Johnson Space Center's Low earth Orbiting Navigation Experiment for Spacecraft Testing Autonomous Rendezvous and docking program. The LONESTAR program is scheduled to be an eight year program, with the final (4th) pair of satellites in this series (LONESTAR 4) demonstrating Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking capabilities. The first three satellite pairs (LONESTAR 1-3) will demonstrate technologies required to attain the ARD demonstration. This means the first three satellites will be required to test the sensors, computers, navigation system, control system, communications system, GPS, etc., that will need to fly on Mission 4.
Project Overview
AggieSat2 is one of two satellites developed for LONESTAR 1, and its mission is to test a novel dual-GPS system (dubbed DRAGON) engineered by the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division (AFMD). The other satellite of the pair fabricated for LONESTAR 1 is named PARADIGM (aka Bevo-1), and it was designed at the University of Texas at Austin. Collectively, these satellites are known as the DRAGONSAT payload, and they will fly aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-127 (currently slated to launch July 11th, 2009).
AggieSat2 is a picosatellite, a smaller version of the satellites developed for the Nanosat competitions, and it will have several essential mission requirements. Primarily, AggieSat2 will serve as a bus for the NASA provided DRAGON GPS unit. After deployment from the Space Shuttle Picosat Launcher (SSPL) mounted in the Space Shuttle Orbiter's cargo bay, AggieSat2 will separate from PARADIGM via spring loaded antennas and ready itself to begin data collection. In the weeks following deployment, AggieSat2 will independently record and downlink 180 minutes of raw GPS data as commanded by the mission control team. The mission will be considered a success after this information has been completely received by the ground control station and delivered to AFMD.
Students working on the AggieSat2 mission obtained the unique experience of planning and carrying out a co-operative mission to satisfy the requirements set forth by NASA's Johnson Space Center (through delivery). The AggieSat2 team will continue this unique experience as they plan and carry out the operations segment of the mission.
Detailed Information
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Mass | 3.2kg |
Project Milestones
AggieSat2 Launch - July 15th, 2009
After 5 launch scrubs, AggieSat2 finally launched aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on attempt 6 scheduled for today. Space Shuttle Endeavour took off at 5:03 p.m., central time, on a 16 day mission to the International Space Station to add an additional component to the Kibo laboratory. Endeavour has been dogged by a leaky seal on the fueling plate for liquid hydrogen on the Shuttle's orange External Tank and a string of stormy Florida afternoons.
Despite these delays, Lab members were elated at the liftoff; with many present during at the launch in Florida. Additionally, those who were unable to travel to Florida gathered at our Munnerlyn facility in College Station to witness the launch on NASA TV.
Payload Bay Closeout - June 9, 2009
NASA has closed the payload bay of Endeavour for the last time. AggieSat2 is GO and ready for launch on June 13, 2009 at 7:17 AM.
(Image from NASA)
Riverside Ground Station Debut - June 8, 2009
After approximately three months of preparation the AggieSat2 ground station made its first satellite contact on June 8th.
The AO-51 amateur radio satellite was received from near Panama, and heard through the Eastern United States and onto Canada in the first integrated RF and tracking test of the new facility. In late June, when AggieSat2 is deployed from Endeavour, this station will be receiving flight telemetry and data.
Roll-Around - May 31, 2009
May, after rescue duty for Atlantis, Endeavour and AggieSat2 were rolled around to Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in final prep for STS-127.
At 39A, the primary payload for STS-127, the Japanese Exposed Facility, is installed and prepped for a June 13 launch.
(Image from NASA)
Rollout - April 17, 2009
In April, STS-127 Endeavour, with AggieSat2 on board, was rolled out to Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center to serve as rescue shuttle for Atlantis on STS-125.
Atlantis flew on STS-125, without need of rescue, and successfully maintained the Hubble Space Telescope for the last time.
(Image from NASA)
KSC Delivery and Checkouts - March 3, 2009
Texas A&M lab members followed the AggieSat2 flight unit to Kennedy Space Center in March to perform one last aliveness test prior to integration with the Shuttle.
AggieSat2, BEVO-1, and the SSPL launcher were processed at NASA's Space Station Processing Facility prior to installation in Space Shuttle Endeavour in Orbiter Processing Facility 2.
Vibration Testing / Phase III Safety - February 25, 2009
Soon after delivery in March, AggieSat2 underwent combined vibration testing at NASA Johnson Space Center's test facilities. The spacecraft went under a three axis vibration series to simulate the effects of a Space Shuttle launch.
During these test, functional tests were completed continually. A shorting problem, induced by the last vibration axis, was discovered and corrected. Soon after, the spacecraft was deemed in good health and approved to ship to the Cape.
During this time, final safety information was approved by the shuttle safety boards at JSC for flight.
Delivery - February 20th, 2009
Texas A&M delivered the AggieSat2 flight unit in February of 2009 to Oceaneering Space Systems in Houston, Texas where it was integrated with the University of Texas BEVO-1 satellite and the SSPL launcher unit.
Flight Build - December 2008 - Feb 2009
From December of 2008 to February of 2009 Texas A&M assembled and checked out the components of the flight unit AggieSat2 spacecraft.
The student team, with the assistance of mentor and director Joe Perez, spent long hours in the lab painstakingly assembling and testing these components. Additionally, all subsystem components, such as electrical power system or command and data handling, were integrated together into a final, working, flight unit.
Separation Testing - Nov 15, 2008
Texas A&M and the University of Texas joined forces to test interfaces between the two cubesats. Each satellite features inhibit pins and spring loaded antennas that are used to provide separation energy at deployment.
Texas A&M students developed and built a functional replica of the Oceaneering Space Systems SSPL launcher to conduct a series of air bearing floor tests to prove the satellites could separate without interference. The series was 100% successful.
Critical Design Review - Oct. 30, 2008
The Critical Design Review during October of 2008 covered the final designs for the major subsystems of AggieSat2. This review was held at NASA Johnson Space Center.
By this time, the mission had matured into a more robust, two orbit GPS data taking flight which involved redundant operations of the Texas A&M and University of Texas satellites. This refocusing was the result of trade studies and lessons learned from prototyping by the students on both teams.
Key topics at this review included the passive magnetic attitude systems and their effects on GPS reception, and the separation interfaces between Texas A&M and the University of Texas.
Phase 0/I/II Safety Review - Oct. 8, 2008
Texas A&M students briefed the shuttle safety review board at NASA Johnson Space Center in relation to mission critical items (such as electrical, RF and physical interfaces) and their impact on safe shuttle operations.
Lab students provided the briefings in front of NASA managers. NASA approved AggieSat2 for continued payload processing as part of the STS-127 payload.
Preliminary Design Review - June 8, 2007
The Preliminary Design Review showcased the initial configuration and designs of both spacecraft for the AggieSat2/BEVO-1 mission.
At this early stage, the mission was comprised of both GPS data and crosslink data taking sessions between the two satellites. Realities of design and size would play a role in iterating this preliminary design during the course of the program.
Program Conception - Spring 2005
NASA, Texas A&M, and the University of Texas embarked on the LONESTAR Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking Campaign in 2005. NASA tasked the two schools with four cooperative missions over 8 years to test ARD technologies and techniques. AggieSat2 is the first of these missions.
Texas A&M and the University of Texas formulated their basic campaign missions leading up to an ARD demonstration. The campaign started with AggieSat2. Students from both schools formed the Mission Systems Engineering Team (MSET) to define mission requirements and shape the beginnings of the campaign.