{"id":626075,"date":"2024-03-04T15:23:03","date_gmt":"2024-03-04T20:23:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=626075"},"modified":"2024-03-07T15:02:27","modified_gmt":"2024-03-07T20:02:27","slug":"nasa-to-demonstrate-miniature-cubesat-swarm-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/small-spacecraft-technology-program\/nasa-to-demonstrate-miniature-cubesat-swarm-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA to Demonstrate\u00a0Miniature\u00a0CubeSat Swarm Technology\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"958\" height=\"1075\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg?w=958\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"A person puts a small box-like structure into a dispenser \u2013 larger box-like structure \u2013 as a second person holds the dispenser steady. A third person documents the process with a smart phone camera.   \" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 58% 37%; object-position: 58% 37%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg 958w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg?resize=267,300 267w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg?resize=768,862 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg?resize=913,1024 913w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg?resize=356,400 356w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg?resize=535,600 535w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg?resize=802,900 802w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 958px) 100vw, 958px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">On Nov. 8, 2023, Max Holliday, middle, installs one of the four PY4 spacecraft into the dispenser supplied by Maverick Space Systems ahead of vibration testing. David Pignatelli, Maverick Space Systems, right, holds the dispenser steady as Watson Attai, left, documents the installation with a smart phone camera.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">Credits: NASA\/Don Richey<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Preparations are underway for a new, small spacecraft technology demonstration that will test cost-efficient swarm capabilities \u2013 the ability for multiple spacecraft to communicate and perform coordinated actions. The PY4 mission\u2019s four CubeSats are slated to launch Monday March 4, 2:05 p.m. PST to low Earth orbit aboard SpaceX\u2019s Transporter-10 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Led by Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and funded by NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/smallspacecraft\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Small Spacecraft Technology program<\/a>, PY4 seeks to demonstrate spacecraft-to-spacecraft ranging, in-orbit navigation, and coordinated simultaneous multi-point radiation measurements at low size, weight, power, and cost. It uses a unique avionics platform called PyCubed that integrates power, computing, communications, attitude determination, and orbit control functionalities into a single board system. The PyCubed system is also open-source, programmable entirely in the Python programming language and uses affordable commercial off-the-shelf components.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0110-001-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1302\" height=\"732\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0110-001-2.jpg?w=1302\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Four small box-like structures with two flaps on each side arranged in a row on a table in a lab.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0110-001-2.jpg 1302w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0110-001-2.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0110-001-2.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0110-001-2.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0110-001-2.jpg?resize=400,225 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0110-001-2.jpg?resize=600,337 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0110-001-2.jpg?resize=900,506 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0110-001-2.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1302px) 100vw, 1302px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Four-CubeSat swarm of PyCubed-based spacecraft in the Small Spacecraft Technology lab. The goal of PY4 is to demonstrate spacecraft-to-spacecraft ranging, in-orbit relative navigation, and coordinated simultaneous multi-point radiation measurements.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">Credits: NASA\/Don Richey<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Once in orbit at over 325 miles above Earth, the spacecraft will periodically measure their relative distances. These range measurements provide information about the spacecrafts\u2019 positions relative to each other, and when combined with other sensor data, can be used to determine the configuration of the swarm. Advancing these capabilities could decrease the workload for operators on the ground while enabling multi-spacecraft missions at an accessible price point. The PY4 platform was previously used in demonstrations of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/small-satellite-missions\/what-is-v-r3x\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">V-R3x technology<\/a>, both in orbit and in a suborbital flight test on a commercial high-altitude balloon with NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/stmd-flight-opportunities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Flight Opportunities<\/a> program. Those initial tests helped researchers evaluate PY4\u2019s functionality ahead of this larger demonstration mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the PY4 demonstration, NASA is also testing critical swarming technologies via the agency\u2019s ongoing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/starling\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Starling<\/a> mission that launched in 2023. PY4 could dramatically reduce the cost of small spacecraft swarming capabilities and make demonstrating technologies like the autonomous navigation system tested via Starling more widely accessible by offering a flight-ready hardware and software platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the top image, engineers at NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley insert the mission\u2019s four spacecraft into their dispenser supplied by Maverick Space Systems of San Luis Obispo, California in preparation for vibration testing. \u00a0Each of the one-and-a-half-unit (1.5U) CubeSats measure about 4 inches by 4 inches by 6.5 inches. The spacecraft were later transported to SpaceX for integration on the Falcon 9 rocket in preparation for launch.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/py4.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"770\" height=\"660\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/py4.jpg?w=770\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"A person in a lab reaches into a small box-like structure on a table.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/py4.jpg 770w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/py4.jpg?resize=300,257 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/py4.jpg?resize=768,658 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/py4.jpg?resize=400,343 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/py4.jpg?resize=600,514 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">On Nov. 8, 2023, Max Holliday, creator and maintainer of the PyCubed avionics platform, prepares one of the four PY4 spacecraft for installation into the dispenser supplied by Maverick Space Systems ahead of vibration testing.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">Credits: NASA\/Don Richey<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>PY4 is led by the Robotic Exploration Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University with funding from the Small Spacecraft Technology program at NASA\u2019s Ames. The Small Spacecraft Technology program expands the ability to execute unique missions through rapid development and demonstration of capabilities for small spacecraft applicable to exploration, science and the commercial space sector. Engineers at NASA Ames supporting the Small Spacecraft Technology program aided the assembly, testing, and integration of the four PY4 spacecraft as well as their delivery to Maverick Space Systems \u2013 the PY4 mission\u2019s launch integrator.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Author: <br><\/strong><em>Chloe E. Tuck<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>For news media:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Members of the news media interested in covering this topic should reach out to the <a href=\"mailto:arc-dl-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov\">Ames newsroom<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Preparations are underway for a new, small spacecraft technology demonstration that will test cost-efficient swarm capabilities \u2013 the ability for multiple spacecraft to communicate and perform coordinated actions. The PY4 mission\u2019s four CubeSats are slated to launch Monday March 4, 2:05 p.m. PST to low Earth orbit aboard SpaceX\u2019s Transporter-10 mission from Vandenberg Space Force […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":188,"featured_media":626086,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[3342,2854,2879],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[],"coauthors":[10450],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"NASA to Demonstrate\u00a0Miniature\u00a0CubeSat Swarm Technology\u00a0","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/small-spacecraft-technology-program\/nasa-to-demonstrate-miniature-cubesat-swarm-technology\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/small-spacecraft-technology-program\/nasa-to-demonstrate-miniature-cubesat-swarm-technology\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA Directorates","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Gianine Figliozzi"}],"creator":["Gianine Figliozzi"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["NASA Directorates","Space Technology Mission Directorate","Small Spacecraft Technology Program","Ames Research Center"],"dateCreated":"2024-03-04T20:23:03Z","datePublished":"2024-03-04T20:23:03Z","dateModified":"2024-03-07T20:02:27Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"NASA to Demonstrate\u00a0Miniature\u00a0CubeSat Swarm Technology\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/small-spacecraft-technology-program\/nasa-to-demonstrate-miniature-cubesat-swarm-technology\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2024-03-04T20:23:03Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA Directorates\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"NASA Directorates,Space Technology Mission Directorate,Small Spacecraft Technology Program,Ames Research Center\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Gianine Figliozzi\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":3,"time_ago":"3 months","featured_image":{"id":626086,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/acd23-0129-015-2.jpg","title":"PY4 Dispenser Integration","alt":"A person on the right puts a small box-like structure into a dispenser as the person on the left holds the dispenser steady. In the background, a person documents the process with a smart phone camera.","caption":"On Nov. 8, 2023, Max Holliday, middle, installs one of the four PY4 spacecraft into the dispenser supplied by Maverick Space Systems ahead of vibration testing. David Pignatelli, Maverick Space Systems, right, holds the dispenser steady as Watson Attai, left, documents the installation with a smart phone camera."},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/626075"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/188"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=626075"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/626075\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":629334,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/626075\/revisions\/629334"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/626086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=626075"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=626075"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=626075"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=626075"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=626075"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}