 Computer model of TacSat-4 | |
| Names | JSW 1 COMMx Tactical Microsatellite Innovative Naval Prototype (INP) |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Technology, Communications |
| Operator | Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) |
| COSPAR ID | 2011-052A |
| SATCAT no. | 37818 |
| Mission duration | 2 years (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | TacSat-4 |
| Spacecraft type | TacSat |
| Bus | JSW bus |
| Manufacturer | Naval Research Laboratory (bus and payload) Applied Physics Laboratory (bus) |
| Launch mass | 468 kg (1,032 lb) |
| Power | 1 kW |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 27 September 2011, 15:49:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Minotaur IV+ |
| Launch site | Kodiak Launch Complex, LP-1 |
| Contractor | Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 472 km (293 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 12,291 km (7,637 mi) |
| Inclination | 63.1° |
| Period | 238.9 minutes |
TacSat-4 is the third in a series of U.S. military experimental technology and communication satellites. The United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is the program manager. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) sponsored the development of the payload and funded the first year of operations. The Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) funded the standardized spacecraft bus and the Operationally Responsive Space Office (ORS) funded the launch that will be performed by the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC).
The spacecraft was completed by the end of 2009, and was launched on 27 September 2011, at 14:49:00 UTC, on a Minotaur IV launch vehicle into a highly elliptical orbit (HEO).[1][2][3][4]
- ^ "Next launch: May 5". Kodiak Daily Mirror. 1 March 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
- ^ "TacSat-4 spacecraft complete and awaiting launch". Naval Research Laboratory. 1 December 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
- ^ Brinton, Turner (30 August 2010). "Rapidly Delivered Systems". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
