Demonstration and Science Experiments
 DSX computer model | |
| Names | Demonstration and Science Experiments Deployable Structures Experiment |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Technology demonstration |
| Operator | Air Force Research Laboratory |
| COSPAR ID | 2019-036F |
| SATCAT no. | 44344 |
| Mission duration | 1 year (planned) 1 year, 11 months and 6 days (achieved) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | ESPA ring + 2 SN-200 |
| Manufacturer | Sierra Nevada Corporation (formerly MicroSat Systems) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 25 June 2019, 06:30:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Falcon Heavy (No. 003) |
| Launch site | Kennedy Space Center, LC-39A |
| Contractor | SpaceX |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Decommissioned |
| Deactivated | 31 May 2021 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit [1] |
| Regime | Medium Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 5,988 km (3,721 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 12,051 km (7,488 mi) |
| Inclination | 42.3° |
| Period | 316.9 minutes |
| Instruments | |
| Wave Particle Interaction Experiment Space Weather Experiment Space Environmental Effects Experiment | |
Demonstration and Science Experiments (DSX) was a small spacecraft developed by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate to perform experiments to study the radiation environment in medium Earth orbit.[2][3]
Spacecraft
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is responsible for the development and execution of the DSX (originally Deployable Structures Experiment), now Demonstration & Science Experiments, also known as Space Science Technology Experiment (SSTE-4), a suite of four science payloads integrated onto a Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) ring based three axis stabilized satellite bus nominally slated for launch into a 6000 × 12000 km, 30° inclination, Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) in the 2019 timeframe with one year required and three year desired operational capability.[4]
One deployable boom measured 80 meters and a second measured 16 meters, making DSX one of the largest deployable structures built to operate on orbit.[2]
Payload
DSX conducted three experiments:
- Wave Particle Interaction Experiment
- Space Weather Experiment
- Space Environmental Effects Experiment
Mission
AFRL kept the satellite in operation for nearly two years, rather than the one year planned, using it to conduct more than 1,300 experiments.[2]
The DSX mission was successfully completed on 31 May 2021. The spacecraft was passivated rather than deorbited due to its high orbit.[2]
References
- ^ Peat, Chris (14 July 2021). "DSX". Heavens Above. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d Erwin, Sandra (19 July 2021). "Air Force satellite completes two-year experiment to study the medium Earth orbit environment". SpaceNews. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- ^ "Sierra Nevada Science Missions". Sierra Nevada Corporation. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ "Display: DSX 2019-036F". NASA. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
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