Mission-1 Update 2
Mission-1 Update #214:00 MT, March 7, 2024We are slowly improving connectivity with our two spacecraft and have isolated the issue to the network used for TT&C (telemetry, tracking, and control). Our orbit is currently in opposition to the relay satellites, and a combination of relative velocity and rotational rates is causing us to only receive data packets at the poles. As the Quark-LITE and Gluon naturally drift relative to the relay satellites, communication frequency should increase.Despite transmission rates three order of magnitude less than expected, both spacecraft are healthy and stable, with avionics and our custom flight software performing well.The robustness of their autonomous systems has been demonstrated as they have maintained the spacecraft with minimal ground intervention. We continue to work the communications issues and hope to improve it significantly in the coming weeks.
Aurora chasers witnessed a strange ‘spiral’ crossing the sky over the Barents Sea early yesterday; the culprit was the Transporter-10 launch an hour earlier. The S2 rotates to deploy the payloads, & was spinning during the de-orbit burn.Shang Yang caught the view from Iceland:
Mission-1 Update #3
Alt Text: 12:30pm MT, March 10, 2024. Over the past 48 hours, we improved communication frequency by 10x. This was done by reducing the duty cycling intended to prevent the Quark-LITE and Gluon radios from potentially interfering when on orbit. The team also uploaded a GN&C patch to null a diverging response while detumbling. These updates would typically require a comprehensive software upload; however, with the communications challenges, we are restricted to sending discrete commands that are a maximum of 145 characters. The team worked around this restriction by employing novel methods to search for and insert text into files, rewriting software by effectively Tweeting at the spacecraft. Flight software black magic. With more frequent updates, the Atomos team has been able to diagnose the status of the two spacecraft. They are rotating on a single axis at approximately 8 rpm with stable power and thermal conditions. We have identified a bug in the torque rod mapping that is being rectified. With fixes being uploaded over the next 24 hours, we expect to safely de-tumble in a few days. This could be done faster, but given that communications is still 1/100 the expected rate, we are taking a slow, methodical approach.
CelesTrak has GP data for 7 objects from the launch (2024-043) of #Transporter-10 with 53 payloads atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB on Mar 4 at 2205 UTC: https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/03/04/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-falcon-9-rocket-from-vandenberg-on-transporter-10-rideshare-mission/. Data for the launch can be found at: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/table.php?INTDES=2024-043.
RBC Signals, LLC (“RBC Signals”), pursuant to Section 25.115 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. § 25.115, respectfully seeks a 60 day STA to continue to operate a fixed 6 meter S and X band earth station in Deadhorse, Alaska to conduct telemetry, tracking, and command (“TT&C”) operations in portions of the 2025-2110 MHz (Earth-to space) band with a non-geostationary orbit (“NGSO”) satellites. Specifically, RBC Signals seeks to add as authorized satellite points of communication the U.S.-licensed Quantum Sentry1 satellite, using the frequencies indicated in this narrative, STA Form and summarized in Table 1 below. This system is currently authorized through the FCC office under callsign S3179 and grant SAT-LOA-20230729-00189.This grant will support Quantum Space LLC’s ability to conduct satellite functionality tests, monitor satellite health, and ensure safe space operations for the Quantum Sentry Satellite. Currently the system is in a low power tumble as a result of poor tracking and limited pass opportunities at the currently utilized ground stations. RBC Signals is requesting an expediated review process for this STA in order to provide critical support to the Sentry System. Adding the Deadhorse 6 meter to operations will greatly improve Quantum’s ability to communicate with the Sentry system and reduce the likelihood of system loss.
Mission-1 Update #419:00 MT, March 14, 2024While slowly becoming veterans of a battle with limited bandwidth, we also updated the spacecraft's software to provide us with assurance that the radio passed commands to our flight computer. After having confidence of our state yesterday, we began a new detumble sequence with all torque rods. We've reduced our rate by 20 degrees per second this week, with half of that happening today. Over the next 48 hours, we expect to enter sun-point and continue with our mission to showcase our rendezvous, docking, and refueling capabilities.
Our commissioning team set a new record; NewSat-44 captured its first image 5 ½ hours after injection, following launch with #SpaceX on March 4 🚀. NewSat-44 is a Mark-V satellite 🛰️, our latest iteration with enhanced capabilities.Read more:
Jonathan McDowell@planet4589Space-Track starting to make progress on IDs for the payloads from the Transporter-10 launch a month ago; still 30 of 51 payloads yet to be identified.6:30 PM · Apr 2, 2024
In the weeks following the successful launch and orbital deployment, our engineers successfully identified Optimus in orbit.However, despite relentless efforts, including round-the-clock mission operations at our Adelaide operations centre and support from Australian and international partners to track the spacecraft from multiple ground stations globally, we have been unable to establish communications with Optimus.
2024-04-29Hubble Network's Bluetooth to Space ConnectionA New Era in ConnectivityIt’s not every day that you hear about a technological leap that fundamentally changes the way we think about global connectivity. Today is that day. Hubble Network has just achieved something that was once thought impossible: the first-ever Bluetooth connection directly to space.The LaunchBacked by a $20 million Series A funding round from industry giants like Transpose Platform and Y Combinator, Hubble Network has taken a giant leap forward. On March 4, 2024, from the grounds of Vandenberg Space Force Base, Hubble successfully launched its first two satellites. These aren’t just any satellites; they’ve successfully reached their orbits and managed to receive signals from a simple 3.5mm Bluetooth chip over an astonishing distance of 600 km.Breaking Through the SkepticismMany thought it couldn’t be done. The skeptics were vocal, claiming that Bluetooth technology couldn’t possibly bridge the vast expanse of space. But as Alex Haro, co-founder and CEO of Hubble Network, puts it, “We’ve disproved thousands of skeptics. By showcasing that we can send signals directly from Bluetooth chips and receive them in space 600 km away, we’ve opened a new realm of possibilities.”
PYXIS succeeded in establishing its two-way communication with the ground on the launch day and received the beacon until 3:00 AM on March 9, 2024(*2) when the communication was lost.In response to the occurrence, we have identified the root cause and proceeded the investigation based on the various data acquired from the satellite and the ground systems until the communication breakdown. As a result, we determined that it is extremely likely that the breakdown was caused by a failure in the power supply system from the PYXIS solar cells to the charging control circuits.
We have continued investigating the issues and examining the recovery and repair plan. We analyzed potential failure modes in the power supply system, from the solar panel output to the charge control circuit, which could have caused the malfunction. Based on this analysis, we established a recovery and repair policy to prevent the occurrence of such failure modes. After undergoing external expert reviews, we are proceeding with the design revisions and evaluation tests aimed at improving reliability in the future.We have concluded that recovery is impossible for PYXIS and are proceeding with the necessary steps toward terminating its operation. The decommissioned PYXIS is expected to leave orbit for approximately 5.5 years.
