The Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) CubeSat spacecraft was launched last week from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
It is the first in a new series of six NASA-managed technology demonstration missions set for the coming months using CubeSats to test technologies that can enable new uses for these miniature satellites, which measure 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm.
“Technology demonstration missions like OCSD are driving exploration,” said Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
“By improving the communication capability of small spacecraft to support data-intensive science missions, OCSD will advance the potential to become a more viable option for mission planners.”
See Space cubes – the tiny satellites transforming space exploration and NASA’s website on the use of CubeSats at http://www.nasa.gov/cubesats
Originally published by Cosmos as CubeSat phones home to confirm orbit
Bill Condie
Bill Condie is a science journalist based in Adelaide, Australia.
Read science facts, not fiction...
There’s never been a more important time to explain the facts, cherish evidence-based knowledge and to showcase the latest scientific, technological and engineering breakthroughs. Cosmos is published by The Royal Institution of Australia, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. Financial contributions, however big or small, help us provide access to trusted science information at a time when the world needs it most. Please support us by making a donation or purchasing a subscription today.
