The ALEXIS Small Satellite project: better, faster, cheaper faces reality

Author

Priedhorsky, William C. ; Bloch, Jeffrey J. ; Wallin, Steven P. ; Armstrong, W. Thomas ; Siegmund, Oswald H W ; Griffee, Jim ; Fleeter, Rick

Author_Institution

Los Alamos Nat. Lab., NM, USA

fYear

1992

fDate

25-31 Oct 1992

Firstpage

636

Abstract

ALEXIS, one of the most sophisticated miniature satellites developed to date and the first satellite project led by Los Alamos National Laboratory, carries both soft X-ray astrophysics and ionospheric physics experiments. It is an example for experimenters who desire better, faster, and cheaper access to space. The satellite was launch-ready 3 1/2 years after concept. The soft X-ray experiment, ALEXIS, is a novel set of wide-angle, normal incidence telescopes which scan half the sky every satellite rotation. BLACKBEARD is a broadband receiver and digitizer designed to study ionospheric propagation in the 25-175 MHz band. The spin-stabilized spacecraft is compact and efficient; for example, it provides 50 W to the payload while consuming 10 W itself. ALEXIS will fly on a Pegasus air-launched booster

Keywords

X-ray astronomy; artificial satellites; astronomical telescopes; ionospheric electromagnetic wave propagation; ionospheric measuring apparatus; radiowave propagation; 25 to 175 MHz; ALEXIS; BLACKBEARD; HF; Pegasus air-launched booster; VHF; broadband receiver; digitizer; ionospheric physics experiments; ionospheric propagation; miniature satellites; soft X-ray astrophysics; spin-stabilized spacecraft; Astrophysics; Costs; Laboratories; Modems; Payloads; Physics; Satellite antennas; Space vehicles; Telemetry; Telescopes;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, 1992., Conference Record of the 1992 IEEE

Conference_Location

Orlando, FL

Print_ISBN

0-7803-0884-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/NSSMIC.1992.301362

Filename

301362