KickSat was a satellite dispenser for small-satellite (femtosatellite) project inaugurated in early October 2011, to launch many very small satellites from a 3U CubeSat. The satellites have been characterized as being the size of a large postage stamp.[1][2] and also as "cracker size".[3] The mission launch was originally scheduled for late 2013[4] and was launched April 18, 2014.[5][6]
Kicksat reached its orbit and transmitted beacon signals that were received by radio amateurs. Telemetry data allowed the prediction of the orbit and the reentry on May 15, 2014, at about 01:30 UTC. Due to a non-redundant design, a timer reset while on-orbit and the femtosatellites were not deployed in time, and burned up inside the KickSat mothership when the undeployed satellite-deployment mechanism reentered Earth's atmosphere. It is one of several crowdfunded satellites launched during the 2010s.[7]
- ^ Radu Tyrsina (October 11, 2011). "KickSat to Launch Postage Stamp-sized Satellites into Space for $300". Mobile Magazine. Archived from the original on October 14, 2011. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
- ^ Fish, Elizabeth (November 14, 2011). "Explore Space with a Spacecraft The Size of a Postage Stamp". Geek Tech (blog). Retrieved November 15, 2011.
- ^ Garling, Caleb (December 24, 2012). "Personal satellites that fly into space". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
forbes20121128was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "KickSat Has Been Deployed in Low-Earth Orbit". arrl.org. April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
- ^ O'Neill, Ian (April 14, 2014). "Helium Leak Forces SpaceX Launch Scrub". news.discovery.com. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
- ^ Reyes, Matthew (April 7, 2014). "DIY Satellites: Now and Near Future | Make". Make: DIY Projects and Ideas for Makers. Retrieved January 5, 2019.