Sponsors
Grant Donors
Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
Founded in 1997, AFRL consolidates the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and several Air Force Directorates, such as the Space Vehicles Directorate. "AFRL's mission is leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air and space forces."
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
Established in 1959, the facility was dedicated to Robert H. Goddard, a physicist considered to be the father of modern rocket propulsion. "The mission of the Goddard Space Flight Center is to expand knowledge of the Earth and its environment, the solar system and the universe through observations from space."
Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
Founded in 1951, AFOSR oversees research supported by the United States Air Force. "AFOSR's mission is to support Air Force goals of control and maximum utilization of air and space."
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
Founded in 1963, AIAA is the premier technical society for the aerospace industry in the United States. Their mission: "To advance the arts, sciences, and technology of aeronautics and astronautics, and to promote the professionalism of those engaged in these pursuits."
NASA Johson Space Center
NASA's Johson Space Center has graciously donated time, facilities,
expertise, and hardware to support environmental testing of the FASTRAC nanosatellites. The
Building 33 thermal vacuum chamber was used for design testing with the
cooperation of facility manager Eric Chan. For the post-UNP competition flight build, Mr. Chan has arranged for the donation of
30 Thermocouples for final environmental testing as well as the bakeout of absorbent material to be used in the flight battery boxes.
The help of Mr. Chan and JSC has been absolutely instrumental in the success of the FASTRAC mission.
URF Program
The Undergraduate Research Fellowship (URF) Program, funded by the University Cooperative Society, Student Government, and the University's colleges and schools, has sponsored several FASTRAC undergraduate researchers.
Hardware Donors
Composite Technology Development
Composite Technology Development is a cutting-edge company that develops enabling engineered solutions for composites,
insulation, adhesives, and coatings for extreme environments.
CTD provides unique and innovative solutions for a wide range of customer needs and the FASTRAC mission is very fortunate to
have their support. By designing, fabricating, and proof-testing propellant storage tanks for FASTRAC, CTD is significantly
improving the lifetime of the Thruster experiment, decreasing required system mass, and simplifying the thruster experiment design.
W.L. Gore Associates
Gore Associates have graciously donated EMI gasketing material for use on
FASTRAC. Gore creates next generation cable assemblies and components for the
electronics industry, as well as outwear, materials, and medical products.
Micro Aerospace Solutions
Micro Aerospace has donated two MEMS interial measurement units to the FASTRAC project
that will be used to measure the separation dynamics at the beginning of the mission.
This will allow the team to determine the initial state and the intersatellite dynamics
of the satellites during the critical crosslink experiment. Micro Aerospace specializes
in thruster, propulsion, attitude control, command and data handling,
computer and communications systems for small spacecraft and nanosatellites.
National Instruments
They are donating software, hardware and personal training for the FASTRAC project.
Planetary Systems Corporation
This is a space vehicle mechanisms manufacturer offering separation systems, solar arrays and other deployable release devices. They donated the lightband separation system for the FASTRAC nanosatellites. For more information about the lightband, see their brochure.
Quality Thermistor, Inc.
Quality Thermistor, Inc. has equipped the FASTRAC team with commercial-grade thermistors for use on the two prototype,
table-top "Flat-Sat" satellites that are used for simulation and software development. In addition, Quality Thermister
was also kind enough to reduce the minumum order amount in the purchase of the Military-Standard thermistors that will
be used on the Flight Satellites.
Technical Materials
Established in 1968, Technical Materials, Inc. is a leading resource for engineered, specialty strip metal solutions for a wide range of applications. TMI has donated 40 ft of silver-kovar ribbon to the team for use as end terminations on the solar cell strings. Our contact, Joseph Kaiser, was very approachable and supportive. We greatly appreciate the expedient delivery and their willingness to help us out at such a critical time in the program.
Program Supporters
Anue Systems
Anue Systems is a technology leader in Next Generation data communications testing. Anue Network Emulators meet the needs of organizations that are designing, building and testing Ethernet, Fibre Channel and/or SONET/SDH solutions by providing precisely controlled variable delays and data disruption capabilities. Key applications include emulating satellite data transmission with dynamically varying delays. Anue's Emulators support several protocols at data rates up to
11.3 Gbps.
E. Jordan Brookes Co., Inc.
Established in 1936, E. Jordan Brookes Co, Inc. provides copper based metals and engineered plastics to customers worldwide. Special thanks to John A. Sanders helping us locate silver-kovar ribbon and introducing us to TMI.
USA HAMAMATSU Corporation
This is one of the leading companies in Photonic Components, based in New Jersey is giving the FASTRAC Team a very generous discount on the purchase of Intensified CCD Camera. Besides the discount, the company is also donating us the required power supply, the software, and the external frame grabber along with the ICCD camera. The camera will be used in the study of the Microdischarge Plasma Thruster (MPT).
Hamtronics Inc.
Jerry Vogt has been very helpful in
supplying us with the transmitters and receivers aboard FASTRAC as well as
availing us of his technical expertise. Hamtronics radios have proven to be
robust and have spaceflight heritage on Sapphire and PC Sat.
Kantronics Inc.
Cheryl Seiwald, the CEO of Kantronics has gone to great lengths to supply us
with custom programmed EEPROM's for the KPC 9612+ terminal node controllers
used on FASTRAC. Kantronics hardware has flown on Sapphire, PC Sat, and PC
Sat-2.
ManTech International Corporation
ManTech has given the project a discount on Multi-Layer Insulation for thermal
blanketing of the spacecraft. ManTech provides thermal and structural
analysis, flight structure design, harness design and assembly, ground
equipment, transport services, test fixtures, and blankets for thermal
control at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
Systems & Processes Engineering Corporation
Systems & Processes Engineering Corporation (SPEC) donated MEMS micronozzle design and hardware assets to enable the fabrication of a silicon 25 micron nozzle with a 50:1 expansion ratio that is used in the Plasma Microdischarge Thruster on FASTRAC. Including the MEMS nozzle (as opposed to a simple hole) makes the thruster a true MEMS device. SPEC engineers assisted the student team in the selection of materials and fabrication processes.
Spectrolab
Founded in 1956, it is a world-class supplier of compound semiconductors, in the form of solar cells and panels, to the space industry. Spectrolab provided solar cells for the FASTRAC satellites with a price reduction valued at $73,000. The solar cells will be the primary power source for the FASTRAC satellites. Spectrolab has also graciously donated 200 silver-kovar interconnects, which are usually difficult to locate, to our project to connect the solar cell strings on each structural panel. Special thanks to Mike Kalachian.
SunCat Solar
Founded in 1998, SunCat Solar specializes in photovoltaic designing, Consulting, prototyping, low volume Manufacturing, testing, and diagnostics. Many thanks to Alain Chuzel for directing us to John Sanders at E. Jordan Brookes Co., Inc. and for acting as a mentor to the solar panel assembly team.
Austin Waterjet Inc.
James Miller from Austin Waterjet offered a considerable discount for cutting structure panels. Their work was both precise and fast. The FASTRAC team will continue to work Austin Waterjet throughout the project. For more information, please call 512-243-9000.
Whitmor Wirenetics
Whitmor Wirenetics is a supplier of wire and cable from Valencia, California and is the preferred wire distributor of the FASTRAC
program. Whitmor responds very fast to all purchase orders that are often last-minute requests
and was even kind enough to send an emergency shipment of donated wire overnight when it was discovered
that thicker wire would not be useable for the satellite Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU).