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 MEPSI-3.
(27562) - The third in the MEPSI series (MicroElectromechanical Systems-based
PicoSat Inspector) is a pair of tethered picosatellites, based on the
CubeSat design, launched by a
custom deployer aboard the STS113 Endeavour mission on the 2nd
December 2002. The spacecraft were manufactured for DARPA by the Aerospace
corporation in collaboration with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The
two spacecraft are cubic in shape, weigh 1kg each, and are connected via a
15.2m tether in order to facilitate detection and tracking via ground-based
radar. The spacecraft carry a cold gas propulsion system, with 0.1N thrust
with 5 thrusters. This propulsion system includes MEMS pressure transducers
and was supplied by Vacco Industries
under a US$152k contract. The spacecraft series has the aim of developing autonomous small
sub-spacecraft that can be carried for remote inspection and servicing.
Previous missions were flown in February 2000 and September 2001. The
spacecraft pair finally re-entered on the 31st January 2003
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References
[1] Small Wonders: Shuttle Picosats, Space.com,
Picture courtesy of Aerospace
Corporation
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