Satellite Integration Nears Completion
December 19, 2004
Glenn Lightsey
All subsystems on Satellite 1 are completed and working properly, according to students working on the FASTRAC integration team. Final assembly of the FASTRAC satellites occurs in a positive pressure air tent under flight integration procedures. As of December 19, the power, C&DH, radios, GPS, and temperature sensors had been integrated and tested. All of the subsystems are operating normally and passed functional testing, which is a major accomplishment for the satellite integration plan.
The integration schedule was being driven by the opportunity to perform a thermal-vacuum test on the flight units in a fully equipped environmental test chamber at NASA's Johnson Space Center during the week of December 20. NASA's JSC generously agreed to donate their facilities and engineering time to allow the student team to perform the T/V test. The thermal cycling is a critical part of the qualification of the thermal design of the satellite.
The integration plan has proceeded relatively smoothly so far. The most significant surprise has been a minor discrepancy in the silicone adhesive used to make the solar panels, which had a longer cure time than anticipated.
Satellite number 2 will be finished the week after Christmas. Final assembly and troubleshooting of remaining issues will be completed before the Flight Competition Review in Reno, NV, on January 9.
News Archive
December 1, 2011 - FASTRAC Digipeating Announcement by Sebastián Muñoz
March 9, 2011 - FASTRAC is Separating!! by Sebastian Muñoz
November 20, 2010 - FASTRAC Is In Orbit! by
November 19, 2010 - FASTRAC is launching Tonight!!!! by
November 2, 2010 - FASTRAC is launching this Month!!! by S. Munoz and E. Ferguson
April 19, 2010 - FASTRAC Ready to go into Space!! by Sebastian Munoz
June 26, 2008 - FASTRAC Satellites Get Updated Software, New Antennas by Stephen Clark
March 8, 2008 - FASTRAC Satellites to Set Up and Ship Out! by Eric Hagen
August 27, 2006 - Satellites Undergoing Testing at AFRL by Glenn Lightsey
June 25, 2006 - FASTRAC Satellites Leave Texas by Greg Holt
June 14, 2006 - FASTRAC Frequency Request Submitted by Glenn Lightsey
December 15, 2005 - FASTRAC Mission Receives Critical D.O.D. Ranking for Launch by Jamin Greenbaum
April 20, 2005 - FASTRAC Personnel Changes by Glenn Lightsey
January 11, 2005 - FASTRAC Victorious, Headed to Space! by Glenn Lightsey
January 7, 2005 - FASTRAC Headed to Nevada for Competition by Glenn Lightsey
January 3, 2005 - FASTRAC Satellite Completes Thermal/Vacuum Test by Glenn Lightsey
December 19, 2004 - Satellite Integration Nears Completion by Glenn Lightsey
December 7, 2004 - FASTRAC Thermal Vac Testing Progresses by Greg Holt
November 28, 2004 - Solar Cells See Sunlight by Greg Holt
July 27, 2004 - FASTRAC Separation Test aboard KC-135 a Success! by FASTRAC team
May 15, 2004 - Balloon Satellite by FASTRAC team
