SpaceX - Falcon-9 & Cassiope Mission patch / CSA-ASC - Cassiope Mission patch.
Sept. 29, 2013
Falcon 9 rocket carrying Cassiope satellite launch
SpaceX successfully launched their inaugural upgraded Falcon 9 rocket, called the Falcon 9 v1.1 today, September 29th 2013 at 16:00 UTC. The rocket carried the Cassiope payload into orbit. This was the first Vandenberg Air Force Base launch for SpaceX, as well as the first launch of a commercial payload.
Launch of Inaugural Falcon 9 v1.1 Rocket with Cassiope
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Cassiope satellite for the Canadian Space Agency. This is the first launch of version 1.1 of the Falcon 9 rocket with upgraded Merlin 1D engines and stretched fuel tanks and is classified as a demonstration launch.
From the Canadian Space Agency: "CASSIOPE will make a significant contribution to unraveling the mysteries of space weather. To accomplish this feat, the satellite will use the scientific payload ePOP (enhanced polar outflow probe), which will observe the ionosphere, and a technology demonstrator Cascade payload, which will provide a 'proof of concept' for a digital broadband courier service for commercial use."
CASSIOPE: Observing Space Weather With a Hybrid Satellite
The communications technology demonstrator payload, entitled Cascade, serves as the second mission payload. Cascade will provide a 'proof of concept' design for a high volume store-and-forward data communications operational concept.
Like a courier in the sky, Cascade's operational concept is to pick up very large digital data files and deliver them to almost any destination in the world.
Cassiope satellite
CASSIOPE's hexagonal Smallsat bus platform measures only 180 cm long and 125 cm high.
It is more cost effective to construct and launch several small satellites with different goals than combining all the functionality on one big satellite. In addition to reducing the risk, this means that the satellites achieve their scientific or commercial objectives at a more reasonable cost.
The new platform produced for the CASSIOPE mission will also be versatile: it will be possible to adapt and use it for various missions involving science, technology, Earth observation, geologic exploration and information delivery.
Canada's CASSIOPE
Professor Andrew Yau of the University of Calgary directs the ePOP project and a team comprised of researchers and engineers from seven Canadian universities. The Communications Research Centre, located in Ottawa, as well as the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science of Japan and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory are also partners in the project.
Moreover, CASSIOPE benefits from a solid partnership between the private and public sectors. Spearheaded by MDA, industry involvement has included Magellan and ComDEV. Vancouver's MDA serves as the mission prime contractor and will lead mission operations with the University of Calgary for a period of 18 months.
For more information about SapceX, visit: http://www.spacex.com/
For more information about Canadian Space Agency (CSA-ASC), visit: http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/default.asp
Images, Video, Text, Credits: Orbiter.ch Aerospace / SpaceX / CSA-ASC.
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