MightySat II: On-Orbit Lab Bench for Air Force Research Laboratory

Abstract

MightySat is a United States Air Force (USAF) multi-mission, small satellite program dedicated to providing rapid, frequent, on-orbit demonstrations of high payoff space system technologies. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is the USAF center for space technology research and development. MightySat platforms provide the on-orbit “lab bench” for responsively testing emerging technologies to ensure their readiness for operational Air Force missions. This paper focuses on the MightySat II space vehicle, follow-on to MightySat I (on-orbit from 14 December 1998 to 16 November 1999), which was developed largely by Spectrum Astro, Inc. in Gilbert, Arizona. MightySat II is a 121 kg (266 lb) satellite designed for deployment from the second Orbital/Suborbital Program (OSP), or Minotaur 2 launch vehicle; it completed payload integration and testing (I&T) in May 2000 and launched in July 2000. This paper discusses details of I&T, mission operations, and some lessons learned. Experiments aboard MightySat II include the following: (1) Fourier Transform Hyperspectral Imager (FTHSI), (2) Quad C40 processor (QC40), (3) Shaped Memory Alloy Thermoelastic Tailoring Experiment (SMATTE), (4) PicoSats, (5) Solar Array Concentrator (SAC), (6) Solar Array Flexible Interconnect (SAFI), (7) Naval Research Laboratory Miniature Transponder (NSX), (8) Multi-functional Composite Bus Structure, (9) Solar Array Substrate (SAS), and (10) Starfire Optical Range Optical Reflectors