Fast Facts
-
Innovative Design: NASA’s Athena EPIC mission showcases a scalable small satellite platform that shares resources among payloads, reducing costs and accelerating launch times.
-
Collaborative Effort: The mission partners with NOAA and the U.S. Space Force, utilizing technology from industry partner NovaWurks, which features a Hyper-Integrated Satlet (HISat).
-
Cost Efficiency: By integrating payload functions into the HISat architecture, Athena EPIC aims to lower mission costs from billions to millions, replacing traditional large satellite designs with more manageable SensorCraft structures.
- Future of Space Technology: Scheduled for launch on July 22, Athena EPIC represents a significant shift toward smaller, more efficient satellites, enhancing the capability for Earth observation and scientific measurement.
NASA Tests Scalable Satellite Tech to Launch Sensors Quicker
NASA is set to launch an innovative satellite technology to streamline space missions. The Athena Economical Payload Integration Cost mission, also known as Athena EPIC, aims to showcase a scalable space vehicle design. This approach allows for quicker sensor launches while reducing costs to taxpayers.
Athena EPIC is a collaboration involving NOAA and the U.S. Space Force. Together, they work alongside industry partner NovaWurks, which designed the space vehicle using a Hyper-Integrated Satlet (HISat). This small satellite platform shares resources among multiple payloads. By managing routine functions, it eliminates the need for each payload to maintain its own systems.
This technique enhances flexibility in payload design, similar to building with interlocking blocks. SensorCraft, the larger structures formed from HISat, can adapt to different sizes and shapes. Consequently, this modularity facilitates easier and less expensive access to space.
NASA scientists created Athena’s sensor payload using spare parts from the CERES mission, which monitors Earth’s radiation. Kory Priestley, the principal investigator for Athena EPIC, explained that by using HISats’ processors, the system can control functions typically managed by individual payloads. This integrated approach simplifies design while enhancing redundancy.
Traditional satellites require extensive hardware and software, often increasing costs significantly. In contrast, SensorCraft can potentially decrease mission expenses from billions to millions of dollars. Priestley noted the new design is roughly the size of a mini refrigerator, making repairs or replacements more manageable in orbit.
Athena EPIC is scheduled for launch on July 22 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The primary payload will support the TRACERS mission, led by the University of Iowa under NASA’s Heliophysics Division.
This mission promises to revolutionize how scientists deploy instruments for Earth observation. By streamlining the process, NASA aligns itself with a future where technology advances not only exploration but also enhances scientific measurements that benefit society as a whole.
Continue Your Tech Journey
Dive deeper into the world of Cryptocurrency and its impact on global finance.
Stay inspired by the vast knowledge available on Wikipedia.
SciV1
