"Noise of Summer" – Firefly Alpha (Fl 5) – Vandenberg SLC-2W – 04.07.2024 04:03 UTC

[zandr]

https://x.com/GewoonLukas_/status/1804232355936080009

Lukas C. H.  @GewoonLukas_
Firefly is targeting NET June 27th at 04:00 UTC for their next Alpha launch! The mission, named "Noise Of Summer", will carry the 8 cubesats part of NASA's ELaNa 43 mission into orbit. Launch will take place from SLC-2W at VSFB. https://nasa.gov/missions/small-satellite-missions/nasas-elana-43-prepares-for-firefly-aerospace-launch/

[zandr]

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/small-satellite-missions/nasas-elana-43-prepares-for-firefly-aerospace-launch/

NASA's ELaNa 43 Prepares for Firefly Aerospace Launch
^{Elyna N. Niles-Carnes   JUN 21, 2024}

^{A Satellite for Optimal Control and Imaging (SOC-i) CubeSat awaits integration at Firefly's Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California on Thursday, June 6, 2024. SOC-i, along with several other CubeSats, will launch to space on an Alpha rocket during NASA's Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) 43 mission as part of the agency's CubeSat Launch Initiative and Firefly's Venture-Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 contract.
NASA}

NASA is readying for the launch of several small satellites to space, built with the help of students, educators, and researchers from across the country, as part of the agency's CubeSat Launch Initiative.
The ELaNa 43 (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites 43) mission includes eight CubeSats flying on Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket for its "Noise of Summer" launch from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The 30-minute launch window will open at 9 p.m. PDT Wednesday, June 26 (12 a.m. EDT Thursday, June 27).
NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) is an ongoing partnership between the agency, educational institutions, and nonprofits, providing a path to space for educational small satellite missions. For the ELaNa 43 mission, each satellite is stored in a CubeSat dispenser on the Firefly rocket and deployed once it reaches sun-synchronous or nearly polar orbit around Earth.
CubeSats are built using standardized units, with one unit, or 1U, measuring about 10 centimeters in length, width, and height. This standardization in size and form allows universities and other researchers to develop cost-effective science investigations and technology demonstrations.
Read more about the small satellites launching on ELaNa 43:

CatSat – University of Arizona, Tucson

Спойлер

CatSat, a 6U CubeSat with a deployable antenna inside a Mylar balloon, will test high-speed communications. Once the CatSat reaches orbit, it will inflate to transmit high-definition Earth photos to ground stations at 50 megabits per second, more than five times faster than typical home internet speeds.
The CatSat design inspiration came to Chris Walker after covering a pot of pudding with plastic wrap. The CatSat principal investigator and professor of Astronomy at University of Arizona noticed the image of an overhanging light bulb created by reflections off the concave plastic wrap on the pot.
"This observation eventually led to the Large Balloon Reflector, an inflatable technology that creates large collecting apertures that weigh a fraction of today's deployable antennas," said Walker. The Large Balloon Reflector was an early-stage study developed through NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program.

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KUbeSat-1 – University of Kansas, Lawrence

Спойлер

The KUbeSat-1, a 3U CubeSat, will use a new method to measure the energy and type of primary cosmic rays hitting the Earth, which is traditionally done on Earth. The second payload, the High-Altitude Calibration will measure very high frequency signals generated by cosmic interactions with the atmosphere. KUbeSat-1 is Kansas' first small satellite to launch under NASA's CSLI.

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MESAT-1 – University of Maine, Orono

Спойлер

MESAT-1, a 3U CubeSat, will study local temperatures across city and rural areas to determine phytoplankton concentration in bodies of water to help predict algal blooms.  MESAT-1 is Maine's first small satellite to launch under NASA's CSLI.

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R5-S4, R5-S2-2.0 �����- NASA's Johnson Space Center

Спойлер

R5-S4 and R5-S2-2.0, both 6U CubeSats, will be the first R5 spacecraft launched to orbit to test a new, lean spacecraft build. The team will monitor how each part of the spacecraft performs, including the computer, software, radio, propulsion system, sensors, and cameras in low Earth orbit.

^{NASA and Firefly Aerospace engineers review the integration plan for the agency's CubeSat R5 Spacecraft 4 (R5-S4) at Firefly Aerospace's Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.
NASA/Jacob Nunez-Kearny}

"In the near term, R5 hopes to demonstrate new processes that allows for faster and cheaper development of high-performance CubeSats," said Sam Pedrotty, R5 project manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "The cost and schedule improvements will allow R5 to provide higher-risk ride options to low-Technology Readiness Levels payloads so more can be demonstrated on-orbit."

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Serenity – Teachers in Space

Спойлер

Serenity, a 3U CubeSat equipped with data sensors and a camera, will communicate with students on Earth through amateur radio signals and send back images. Teachers in Space launches satellites as educational experiments to stimulate interest in space science, technology, engineering, and math among students in North America.

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SOC-i – University of Washington, Seattle

Спойлер

Satellite for Optimal Control and Imaging (SOC-i), a 2U CubeSat, is a technology demonstration mission of attitude control technology used to maintain its orientation in relation to the Earth, Sun, or other body. This mission will test an algorithm to support autonomous operations with constrained attitude guidance maneuvers computed in real-time aboard the spacecraft. SOC-i will autonomously rotate its camera to capture images.

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TechEdSat-11 (TES-11) – NASA's Ames Research Center, California's Silicon Valley

Спойлер

TES-11, a 6U CubeSat, is a collaborative effort between NASA researchers and students to evaluate technologies for use in small satellites. It's part of ongoing experiments to evaluate new technologies in communications, a radiation sensor suite, and experimental solar panels, as well as to find ways to reduce the time to de-orbit.
NASA awarded Firefly Aerospace a fixed-price contract to fly small satellites to space under a Venture-Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 contract in 2020. NASA certified Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket as a Category 1 in May, which authorized its use during missions with high risk tolerance.
NASA's Launch Services Program is responsible for launching rockets delivering spacecraft that observe Earth, visit other planets, and explore the universe.
Follow NASA's small satellite missions blog for launch updates.

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[zandr]

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/6865

Noise of Summer
Launch Time
Thu Jun 27, 2024 07:00 GMT+3
Rocket  Alpha
...
Mission Details
CatSat
CatSat is a 6U CubeSat being built and tested by University of Arizona students, faculty, and staff.
The satellite will launch atop a Firefly Alpha rocket into a nearly sun-synchronous orbit around the Earth. Thanks to some trickery on behalf of orbital mechanics, this peculiar orbit ensures that the satellite will constantly remain in daylight, maximizing the capabilities of the mission.
During the mission's six-month expected lifetime, CatSat will detect high-frequency signals from HAM radio operators all around the globe with its WSPR antenna, demonstrate an inflatable antenna for high bandwidth transmission, and provide high-resolution imaging of the Earth. The data this satellite provides will give insights into the variation of the ionosphere and the technical capabilities of the new systems being tested.
Payloads: 1
Sun-Synchronous Orbit

KUbe-Sat-1
If successful, KUbeSat1 will be the first satellite put into orbit by a major University in the State of Kansas. It is a 3U satellite that carries three main payloads: a Primary Cosmic Ray Detector (PCRD) to measure primary cosmic rays hitting the Earth, a High-Altitude Calibration instrument for KUbeSat (HiCalK) used for measuring very high frequency (VHF) from cosmic ray interactions with the atmosphere, and a camera to capture images of both Earth and space.
Payloads: 1

MESAT1
Maine's first small satellite, MESAT carries three payloads designed by students in Falmouth High school, Fryeburg Academy, and Saco Middle School. UMaine and USM engineering teams are collaborating on building the satellite and getting it ready for launch in collaboration with AMSAT and NERRS. The CubeSat's launch is funded by the NASA CSLI program and its design and development are sponsored by NASA, MSGC, and UMaine.
Payloads: 1

R5-S4
R5 S2 and R5 S4 are 6U CubeSat technology demonstration missions by NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, intended to assess the suitability of commercial off-the-shelf components for free-flying extravehicular inspection capabilities including cameras, computers, and algorithms.
These two 6U CubeSats are the first in the R5 series to include cold gas nitrogen RCS propulsion systems. Both are scheduled to launch to space in late 2022 for testing of both hardware and software systems needed for robust and low-cost in-space inspection.
Payloads: 1

R5-S2-2.0

Спойлер

R5 S2 and R5 S4 are 6U CubeSat technology demonstration missions by NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, intended to assess the suitability of commercial off-the-shelf components for free-flying extravehicular inspection capabilities including cameras, computers, and algorithms.
These two 6U CubeSats are the first in the R5 series to include cold gas nitrogen RCS propulsion systems. Both are scheduled to launch to space in late 2022 for testing of both hardware and software systems needed for robust and low-cost in-space inspection.
Payloads: 1

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SOC-i

Спойлер

SOC-i (Satellite for Optimal Control and Imaging) is a technology demonstration that will demonstrate an experimental attitude control scheme on orbit and provide educational opportunities to students at the University of Washington, Seattle.
SOC-i uses an in-house developed and built 2U CubeSat satellite bus.
The experimental GNC system is capable of reorienting the spacecraft while guaranteeing hard pointing constraints and minimizing the power drawn by the set of four reaction wheels. To orient the SOC-i spacecraft, the GNC system uses the 4RW0 reaction wheels from NanoAvionics as the primary actuators for the attitude control system. Five magnetorquers complement these wheels and are built into the solar panels on each face except on the bottom, where the camera is located. For attitude estimation, the GNC system uses a single digital sun sensor custom-built into the solar panels, three 3-axis magnetometers, and three 3-axis gyroscopes.
The imaging system serves as one of two payloads for the SOC-i mission. A single uCam-III from 4D Systems was selected as the onboard camera and is mounted on the bottom end of the 2U chassis.
It was selected in 2020 by NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) program by the CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) to be launched as part of the ELaNa program.
Payloads: 1

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TechEdSat 11

Спойлер

The TechEdSat 11 (TES 11) is a 6U (2×3U) CubeSat that will function as a high-temperature, accurate deorbit reentry nanosatellite.
TechEdSat-10 contains 150 watt-hours of power storage, eight radios, nine processors, and a graphics processing unit. Additionally, the small satellite carries four cameras, including a stereoscopic virtual reality camera experiment.
Like several TechEdSat missions before it, this mission is demonstrating the exo-brake technology in its largest iteration to date. The exo-brake is designed to deploy an umbrella-like "brake" to increase drag and take a small satellite out of orbit. In this mission, the exo-brake can be controlled or modulated by commands from the ground in order to target a re-entry point. In the future, this could enable sample return missions from orbit and future planetary missions.
Additionally, it hosted the DCS Use Concept Validation project to determine if satellites, primarily small satellites in low earth orbit, can successfully interface with the data collection system (DCS) receivers and thus provide low-rate data (100, 300, or greater bps) service to satellite users; primarily to assist in launch, early orbit, and anomaly (LEO&A) operations or low data required observations.
It was selected by NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) to be launched as part of the ELaNa program.
Payloads: 1

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Serenity

Спойлер

Serenity, developed by Teachers in Space (TIS), is 3U CubeSat that will provide low-cost opportunities to test educational experiments in space.
Teachers in Space has previously guided high schools and other academic institutions in developing and flying experiments suborbitally with high-altitude balloons, stratospheric gliders, and rockets. This will be the first orbital satellite mission for TIS.
Serenity will be carrying a suite of data sensors and a camera that will be sending data back to Earth through the use of HAM radio signals. There will be several ground stations connecting with the satellite during its orbital period. These ground stations will be collecting data and pictures sent back down to Earth.
The satellite was one of the passengers on the maiden launch of the Firefly-Alpha rocket but was lost in the launch failure. A reflight was on the second Firefly-Alpha rocket and reached orbit, although lower than planned.
Payloads: 1

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Location
SLC-2W, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA

[zandr]

https://x.com/NASA_LSP/status/1803882739978113169

NASA's Launch Services Program  @NASA_LSP
Hear that? Sounds like @Firefly_Space's  "Noise of Summer"  is warming up!

Eight small satellites known as #CubeSats are tucked in and waiting for the countdown to start.

[zandr]

https://x.com/Firefly_Space/status/1804312472087585091

Firefly Aerospace  @Firefly_Space
With our Alpha static fire complete, the countdown to a NET June 26 launch is officially on for Alpha #FLTA005 #NoiseOfSummer! This mission for @NASA VCLS is scheduled to launch from @SLDelta30.

Проведён огневой тест.

[zandr]

Lukas C. H.  @GewoonLukas_
It appears Firefly has added white paint on the LOX tank of their Alpha 2nd stage. I wonder if this is for better thermal properties, especially during coasts between burns. According to some renders the paint will also be on the fairing, but that's probably just for aesthetics.

[zandr]

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/6865

Noise of Summer
Launch Time
Tue Jul 2, 2024 07:03 GMT+3

На 5 дней вправо.

[zandr]

И на день "влево".

Noise of Summer
Launch Time
Mon Jul 1, 2024 07:03 GMT+3

[zandr]

... и обратно (вперёд) на 2-ое

Tue Jul 2, 2024 07:03 GMT+3

[zandr]

Код Выделить Развернуть

https://www.youtube.com/live/F6nYZEVsMc0

https://www.youtube.com/live/F6nYZEVsMc0
Alpha FLTA005 "Noise of Summer"
  Firefly Aerospace
Alpha FLTA005, a mission called Noise of Summer, supports Firefly's Venture-Class Launch Services Demo 2 contract with NASA that serves to validate the capabilities of launch vehicles that support a new launch class and provide more access to space for small satellites and spacecraft. Firefly will conduct Alpha FLTA005 as another responsive space operation, which includes transporting the payload fairing to the launch pad and mating it to Firefly's Alpha rocket within hours of the scheduled liftoff, compared to weeks in a typical operation.

The Alpha FLTA005 Noise of Summer mission is prepared to launch no earlier than July 1, 2024. A 30 minute window begins at 9:00PM PST. Noise of Summer will launch from Firefly's SLC-2 complex at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

For more details on the Alpha FLTA005 Noise of Summer mission and live stream, visit https://fireflyspace.com/missions/noise-of-summer/

Firefly Aerospace is an end-to-end space transportation company with launch, lunar, and on-orbit services. Headquartered in central Texas, Firefly is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners ("AEI") focused on delivering responsive, reliable, and affordable space access for government and commercial customers. Firefly's small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide the space industry with a single source for missions from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond. For more information, visit www.fireflyspace.com.

[zandr]

NASA's Launch Services Program  @NASA_LSP  ·  11h
It's #CountdownToLaunch for the "Noise of Summer!"
This is @Firefly_Space's NASA demonstration launch carrying eight #CubeSat missions. Liftoff is targeted for 9:03pm PDT (12:03am EDT) from SLC-2 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

[zandr]

NASA Technology  @NASA_Technology  ·  11h
CatSat, a CubeSat with a deployable antenna inside a balloon, was developed by a student team at the @uarizona with the help of NASA early research funding. CatSat will launch on @Firefly_Space's Alpha rocket on July 1 to test high-speed communications: https://go.nasa.gov/4cueCRu
   

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Firefly Aerospace  @Firefly_Space  ·  4h
The Alpha pad team is GO for tonight's @NASA mission! There are more Fireflies like these behind the scenes making today's launch happen.

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Firefly Aerospace  @Firefly_Space  ·  3h
We're just under 4 hours until Alpha #FLTA005 as we begin to fuel up the rocket. Here's the mission timeline you can expect to see after liftoff scheduled for 9:03 PM PDT

[zandr]

Т-19 мин.
Вы не можете просматривать это вложение.
Все службы "GO"!

[zandr]

Ранее

Pauline Acalin  @w00ki33
@Firefly_Space's Alpha FLTA005 is scheduled for liftoff tonight at 9:03 pm PDT from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California!
 

[zandr]

Т-10 мин.
Вы не можете просматривать это вложение.
Местное время 20:53
Всё в тумане.

[zandr]

Т-19 мин.

Firefly Aerospace  @Firefly_Space
T-15 minutes to liftoff and terminal count has begun. Alpha #FLTA005 stands ready to launch.

[zandr]

Т-5 мин.
Вы не можете просматривать это вложение.
Вы ракету видите? А она там есть!

[zandr]

Отбой!