| Mission type | Technology |
|---|---|
| Operator | DARPA |
| COSPAR ID | 2007-006C  |
| SATCAT no. | 30774 |
| Mission duration | 4 months |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | RS-300 |
| Manufacturer | Ball Aerospace |
| Launch mass | 224 kilograms (494 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 9 March 2007, 03:10 (2007-03-09UTC03:10Z) UTC |
| Rocket | Atlas V 401 AV-013 |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
| Contractor | United Launch Alliance |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Decommissioned |
| Deactivated | 21 July 2007 (2007-07-22) |
| Decay date | 21 April 2023 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Eccentricity | 0.00058 |
| Perigee altitude | 490 kilometers (300 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 498 kilometers (309 mi) |
| Inclination | 46.0 degrees |
| Period | 94.5 minutes |
| Epoch | 8 May 2007, 22:10:00 UTC[1] |
NEXTSat, or Next Generation Satellite and Commodities Spacecraft (NEXTSat/CSC) was an American technology demonstration satellite which was operated as part of the Orbital Express programme. It was used as a target spacecraft for a demonstration of autonomous servicing and refueling operations performed by the ASTRO satellite.[2] Launched in March 2007, it was operated for four months, and then deactivated in orbit.
NEXTSat was launched by United Launch Alliance on an Atlas V 401 rocket; serial number AV-013. The launch occurred at 03:10 UTC on 9 March 2007, from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.[3] The launch was contracted by the Space Test Program to launch the STPSat-1 spacecraft, and was named STP-1. It also deployed ASTRO; as well as FalconSAT-3, CFESat and MidSTAR-1.[2] The launch marked the first time United Launch Alliance had launched an Atlas V, the type having previously been operated by International Launch Services.
NEXTSat was a 224-kilogram (494 lb) spacecraft,[2] which was built by Ball Aerospace around the RS-300 satellite bus.[4] It was operated in low Earth orbit; on 9 March 2007, it had a perigee of 490 kilometres (300 mi), an apogee of 498 kilometres (309 mi), 46.0 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 94.49 minutes.[5] After completing operations, the ASTRO and NEXTSat spacecraft were separated, and ASTRO performed a separation burn. On 21 July 2007, NEXTSat was deactivated. As of 2007[update], it was expected to remain in orbit until around 2012.[6] The satellite decayed from orbit on 21 April 2023.[7]
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Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). | |
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