 InflateSail Engineering Model in deployed configuration | |
| Mission type | Technology |
|---|---|
| Operator | von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics |
| COSPAR ID | 2017-036F |
| SATCAT no. | 42770 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | 3U CubeSat |
| Manufacturer | Surrey Space Centre[1] |
| Launch mass | 3.2 kilograms (7.1 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 23 June 2017, 03:59 UTC |
| Rocket | PSLV-C38 |
| Launch site | Satish Dhawan Space Centre |
| Deployment date | 23 June 2017, 04:22 UTC |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 3 September 2017[2] |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 397 kilometers (247 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 408 kilometers (254 mi) |
| Inclination | 97.4408 degrees |
| Period | 92.6 minutes |
| Epoch | 29 August 2017 03:26:51 UTC |
InflateSail was a 3U CubeSat launched on PSLV C38 on 23 June 2017 into a 505 km polar Sun-synchronous orbit. It carried a 1 m long inflatable rigidizable mast, and a 10 m2 drag-deorbiting sail. Its primary aim was to demonstrate the effectiveness of drag based deorbiting from low Earth orbit (LEO).[3][4] Built by Surrey Space Centre of the University of Surrey, it was one of the Technology Demonstrator CubeSats for the QB50 mission. An identical drag sail payload was planned to be included on the RemoveDEBRIS demonstrator.
- ^ "Guildford: Space Centre celebrates InflateSail satellite success". The Business Magazine. 12 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- ^ "DK3WN SatBlog » Decay". Retrieved 6 August 2017.
- ^ "Surrey Space Centre celebrates successful operation of InflateSail satellite". surrey.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- ^ "InflateSail (QB50 GB06)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 15 July 2017.