Cansat suborbital launch experiment-university educational space program using can sized pico-satellite
Abstract
Our laboratory is proceeding with a project to design and fabricate a nano satellite named "Gekkabijin" as "CanSat" project. This project was agreed at USSS'98 as a Japan-U.S. joint venture to make satellites for educational purpose. CanSat is, as can be imaged from the name, a Coke can shaped and sized satellite. Our CanSat "Gekkabijin" was designed to deploy a thin flexible membrane using centrifugal force. Before we can launch a CanSat into space, we had a chance to put it into sub-orbit with a support from a U.S. amateur rocket group in the name of ARLISS Project. ARLISS Project has already taken place twice in 1999 and 2000 and we carried out 6 missions. This paper describes the objectives, satellite design, experiment results and lessons learned of University of Tokyo CanSat Project.
- Publication:
-
Acta Astronautica
- Pub Date:
- March 2001
- DOI:
- 10.1016/S0094-5765(01)00039-X
- Bibcode:
- 2001AcAau..48..767S