Microsat

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Class: Communications. Destination: Low Earth Orbit. Nation: USA. Agency: DARPA. Manufacturer: Defense Systems Inc.

Satellites used in a DARPA test of an LEO quick-reaction network for global communications.

The Microsats were of a one-of-a-kind design by Defense Systems Incorporated (DSI) for DARPA. Ray Crough was the Project Manager at DARPA for these "seven dwarfs". DSI was run by Dr. George Sebastian and Jason O'Neill and was eventually sold to Wireless Communications in 1994 for $6.6 million.

Typical orbit: 355 x 455 km, 82 deg inclinaton. Mass: 22 kg (48 lb).

Microsat Chronology

1991 July 17 - Microsat 4 - Launch Site: Point Arguello WADZ. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Pegasus. Mass: 22 kg (48 lb). Perigee: 355 km (220 mi). Apogee: 454 km (282 mi). Inclination: 82.00 deg. Period: 92.70 min.
Test of LEO network for global communications.

1991 July 17 - Microsat 1 - Launch Site: Point Arguello WADZ. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Pegasus. Mass: 22 kg (48 lb). Perigee: 356 km (221 mi). Apogee: 454 km (282 mi). Inclination: 82.00 deg. Period: 92.70 min.
Test of LEO network for global communications.

1991 July 17 - Microsat 5 - Launch Site: Point Arguello WADZ. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Pegasus. Mass: 22 kg (48 lb). Perigee: 355 km (220 mi). Apogee: 455 km (282 mi). Inclination: 82.00 deg. Period: 92.70 min.
Test of LEO network for global communications.

1991 July 17 - Microsat 2 - Launch Site: Point Arguello WADZ. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Pegasus. Mass: 22 kg (48 lb). Perigee: 355 km (220 mi). Apogee: 454 km (282 mi). Inclination: 82.00 deg. Period: 92.70 min.
Test of LEO network for global communications.

1991 July 17 - Microsat 7 - Launch Site: Point Arguello WADZ. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Pegasus. Mass: 22 kg (48 lb). Perigee: 358 km (222 mi). Apogee: 452 km (280 mi). Inclination: 82.00 deg. Period: 92.70 min.
Test of LEO network for global communications.

1991 July 17 - Microsat 6 - Launch Site: Point Arguello WADZ. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Pegasus. Mass: 22 kg (48 lb). Perigee: 355 km (220 mi). Apogee: 454 km (282 mi). Inclination: 82.00 deg. Period: 92.70 min.
Test of LEO network for global communications.

1991 July 17 - Microsat 3 - Launch Site: Point Arguello WADZ. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Pegasus. Mass: 22 kg (48 lb). Perigee: 355 km (220 mi). Apogee: 454 km (282 mi). Inclination: 82.00 deg. Period: 92.70 min.
Test of LEO network for global communications.

Bibliography:

McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page (launch records), Harvard University, 1997-present. Web Address when accessed: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
JPL Mission and Spacecraft Library, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1997. Web Address when accessed: http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/home.html.

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© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.