Educational Launch of Nanosatellites explained

Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) is an initiative created by NASA to attract and retain students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.[1] The program is managed by the Launch Services Program (LSP) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Overview

The ELaNa initiative has made partnerships with universities in the US to design and launch small research satellites called CubeSats (because of their cube shape). These low-cost CubeSat missions provide NASA with valuable opportunities to test emerging technologies that may be useful in future space missions, while university students get to be involved in all phases of the mission, from instrument and satellite design, to launch and monitoring.

A CubeSat has a cubic shape measuring 10 × 10 × 10 cm (1 unit or 1U), and can be fabricated of multiple cubic units such as 2U, 3U and 6U, and weighing 1.33 kg per unit. Because of the high cost incurred by launching them to orbit, ELaNa's satellites are launched as secondary payload on other missions that have mass and space to spare. Since the launch waiting list has grown considerably, another initiative was launched in 2015 in partnership with the private industry to develop launch vehicles dedicated to CubeSats exclusively. A new company is called Rocket Lab and their launch vehicle is the Electron rocket.[2] This agreement with NASA, enables the company to use NASA resources such as personnel, facilities and equipment for commercial launch efforts.[3] In 2015, NASA contracted two other companies for this purpose: Firefly Space Systems and Virgin Galactic.[4] Nevertheless, NASA CubeSats will continue to hitch rides as secondary payloads in larger rockets whenever possible.

As of August 2017, NASA's ELaNa initiative has selected 151 CubeSat missions, 49 of which have been launched into space.[5]

Missions

ELaNa mission numbers are based on the order they are manifested; due to the nature of launching, the actual launch order differs from the mission numbers.

Launched missions

Launch date (UTC)Mission nameCubeSats deployedMain mission and
CubeSats included		Launch vehicleLaunch site
4 March 2011ELaNa 1[6] (Glory) Hermes, Explorer-1 Prime, KySat-1[7]
* launch failure		Taurus XLVAFB, LC-576
28 October 2011ELaNa 3[8] (NPOESS Preparatory Project) RAX-2, M-Cubed, Explorer-1 Prime, DICE, AubieSat-1Delta II 7920-10VAFB, SLC-2 West
13 September 2012ELaNa 6[9] (NROL-36)
CXBN, CP5, CINEMA, CSSWE[10] 		Atlas V 401VAFB, SLC-3 East
20 November 2013ELaNa 4[11] [12] [13] (ORS-3[14]) H-2, KySat-2, ChargerSat-1, SwampSat, Trailblazer, TJ3Sat, DragonSat-1, CAPE-2, PhoneSat 2.4, COPPER, DragonSat-1, Vermont Lunar[15] Minotaur IMARS, LP-0A
6 December 2013ELaNa 2[16] [17] (NROL-39)
CUNYSAT-1, IPEX, M-Cubed-2, FIREBIRD-1A/1B		Atlas V 501VAFB, SLC-3 East
22 February 2014ELaNa 5[18] [19] (SpaceX CRS-3)
ALL-STAR, PhoneSat 2.5, KickSat, SporeSat, TSAT[20] 		Falcon 9 / DragonCCAFS, SLC-40
28 October 2014ELaNa 8Cygnus CRS Orb-3
CHARM
* launch failure		Antares 130 / CygnusMARS, LP-0A
31 January 2015ELaNa 10[21] [22] (Soil Moisture Active Passive)
GRIFEX, EXOCUBE, FIREBIRD-2 A/B[23] 		Delta II 7320VAFB, SLC-2 West
20 May 2015ELaNa 11[24] (Boeing X-37#OTV-4)
LightSail-A		Atlas V 501CCAFS, SLC-41
8 October 2015ELaNa 12[25] [26] (NROL-55)
Fox-1, BisonSat, ARC, LMRST-Sat[27] 		Atlas V 401VAFB, SLC-3 East
4 November 2015ELaNa 7[28] [29] (ORS-4[30])
Argus, PrintSat[31]
* launch failure[32] 		Super StrypiPacific Missile Range Facility
6 December 2015ELaNa 9[33] [34] (Cygnus CRS Orb-4)
MinXSS, STMSat-1, CADRE		Atlas V 401 / CygnusCCAFS, SLC-41
18 April 2017ELaNa 17[35] (Cygnus CRS OA-7)
CXBN-2, IceCube, CSUNSat-1[36] 		Atlas V 401 / CygnusCCAFS, SLC-41
14 August 2017ELaNa 22(SpaceX CRS-12)
ASTERIA, Dellingr, OSIRIS-3U[37] [38] 		Falcon 9 / DragonCCAFS, SLC-40
12 November 2017ELaNa 13(Cygnus CRS OA-8E)
ISARA, EcAMSat		Antares 230MARS, LP-0A
18 November 2017ELaNa 14(JPSS-1)
MiRaTA, MakerSat-0, RadFxSat, EagleSat-1		Delta II 7920VAFB, SLC-2 West
21 May 2018ELaNa 23(Cygnus CRS OA-9E)
HaloSat, TEMPEST-D1, EQUiSat, MemSat, CANOP, RadSat, RainCube, SORTIE, CubeRTT		Antares 230 / CygnusMARS, LP-0A
15 September 2018[39] ELaNa 18(ICESat-2)
DAVE, ELFIN*, ELFIN, SurfSat		Delta II 7420VAFB, SLC-2 West
17 November 2018ELaNa 16(Cygnus CRS OA-10E)
KickSat-2		Antares 230 / CygnusMARS, LP-0A
3 December 2018ELaNa 24(SSO-A mission managed by Spaceflight Industries)
IRVINE02, WeissSat-1		Falcon 9VAFB, SLC-4E
5 December 2018ELaNa 21(SpaceX CRS-16)
TechEdSat-8, UNITE		Falcon 9CCAFS, SLC-40
16 December 2018ELaNa 19ElectronMahia, LC-1A
17 April 2019ELaNa 26(Cygnus NG-11)
CAPSat, HARP, Virginia CubeSat Constellation		Antares 230MARS, LP-0A
25 June 2019ELaNa 15(Space Test Program-2)
ARMADILLO, LEO (CP9), StangSat[40] 		Falcon HeavyKSC, LC-39A
25 July 2019ELaNa 27(SpaceX CRS-18)
RFTSat		Falcon 9CCAFS, SLC-40
2 November 2019ELaNa 25A(Cygnus NG-12)
Argus-02, HARP, HuskySat I, Phoenix, RadSat-U, SOCRATES, SwampSat II		Antares 230+MARS, LP-0A
5 December 2019ELaNa 25B and ELaNa 28(SpaceX CRS-19)
ELaNa 25B: AzTechSat 1, SORTIE, CryoCube 1
ELaNa 28: CIRiS, EdgeCube		Falcon 9CCAFS, SLC-40
14 February 2020ELaNa 30(Cygnus NG-13)
TechEdSat-10 (TES-10)		Antares 230+MARS, LP-0A
13 June 2020ELaNa 32ANDESITEElectronMahia, LC-1A
3 October 2020ELaNa 31(Cygnus NG-14)
Bobcat-1, NEUTRON-1, SPOC		Antares 230+MARS, LP-0A
17 January 2021[41] ELaNa 20CACTUS-1, CAPE-3, EXOCUBE-2, MiTEE, PICS 1, PICS 2, PolarCube, Q-PACE, RadFXSat-2, TechEdSat-7.LauncherOneCosmic Girl, Mojave
24 January 2021[42] ELaNa 35(Nanosatellites)
PTD-1		Falcon 9CCAFS
20 February 2021ELaNa 33(Cygnus NG-15)
IT-SPINS		Antares 230+MARS, LP-0A
3 June 2021ELaNa 36(SpaceX CRS-22)
RamSat		Falcon 9KSC, LC-39A
29 August 2021[43] ELaNa 37(SpaceX CRS-23)
CAPSat, PR-CuNaR2, SPACE HAUC		Falcon 9KSC, LC-39A
27 September 2021[44] ELaNa 34(Landsat 9)
CUTE, CuPID		Atlas V 401CCSFS, SLC-41
21 December 2021[45] ELaNa 38(SpaceX CRS-24)
DAILI, GASPACS, PATCOOL, TARGIT		Falcon 9KSC, LC-39A
13 January 2022[46] ELaNa 29(STP-27VP)
PAN-A, B		LauncherOneCosmic Girl, Mojave
10 February 2022[47] ELaNa 41(VCLS Demo-2A)
BAMA-1, INCA, QubeSat, R5-S1
* launch failure		Rocket 3CCSFS, SLC-46
19 February 2022[48] ELaNa 44(Cygnus NG-17)
NACHOS		Antares 230+MARS, LP-0A
2 July 2022[49] ELaNa 39(STP-S28A)
GPX2, CTIM-FD		LauncherOneCosmic Girl, Mojave
15 July 2022[50] ELaNa 45(SpaceX CRS-25)
BeaverCube, CapSat-1, D3, JAGSAT		Falcon 9KSC, LC-39A
22 November 2022[51] ELaNa 49(SpaceX CRS-26)
MARIO, petitSat, SPORT, TJREVERB		Falcon 9KSC, LC-39A
15 March 2023[52] ELaNa 50(SpaceX CRS-27)
ARKSat-1, LightSail		Falcon 9KSC, LC-39A
15 April 2023[53] ELaNa 40(Transporter-7)
CIRBE		Falcon 9VSFB, SLC-4E
15 April 2023ELaNa 47(Transporter-7)
LLITED-A, LLITED-B		Falcon 9VSFB, SLC-4E
4 March 2024[54] ELaNa 57(Transporter-10)
M3		Falcon 9VSFB, SLC-4E
21 March 2024[55] ELaNa 51(SpaceX CRS-30)
Big Red Sat-1, BurstCube, HyTi, SNoOPI		Falcon 9CCSFS, SLC-40
4 July 2024[56] ELaNa 43(VCLS Demo-2FB)
CatSat, KUbe-Sat-1, MESAT-1, R5-S2-2.0, R4-S4, Serenity, SOCi, TechEdSat-11		Firefly AlphaVSFB, SLC-2W
9 July 2024ELaNa 48(VA262)
CURIE A, CURIE B		Ariane 6Kourou
4 August 2024[57] ELaNa 52(Cygnus NG-21)
CySat-1, DORA		Falcon 9SLC-40

Future missions

List of future missions:[58] [59]

Launch date (UTC)Mission nameNo. of CubeSatsMain mission and
CubeSats included		Launch vehicleLaunch site
TBAELaNa 56(?)
TRYAD-1, TRYAD-2		TBATBA
TBAELaNa 53(Transporter-11)
Dione		Falcon 9TBA
TBAELaNa 42(?)
R5-S3, R5-S5, R5-S6		TBATBA
TBAELaNa 46(?)
TechEdSat-12		TBATBA
TBAELaNa 55(?)
INCA-2		TBATBA

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/centers/kennedy/technology/elana_feature.html ELaNa: Educational Launch of Nanosatellites
  2. http://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2015/07/31/rocket-lab-signs-nasa-partnership-to-tap-launch-resources/ Rocket Lab Signs NASA Partnership to Tap Launch Resources
  3. https://www.science.org/content/article/rocket-lab-poised-provide-dedicated-launcher-cubesat-science Rocket Lab poised to provide dedicated launcher for CubeSat science
  4. Web site: NASA Awards Venture Class Launch Services Contracts for CubeSat Satellites. NASA. Kathryn Hambleton. George H. Diller. 14 October 2015. 30 October 2015.
  5. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-cubesat-launch-initiative-broadens-access-to-space-for-educators-nonprofits NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative Broadens Access to Space for Educators, Nonprofits
  6. Web site: CubeSat ELaNa Launch on Glory Mission. nasa.gov. 27 January 2018. 28 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170228125723/https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/627973main_513455main_CubeSatFactsheet_Final.pdf. dead.
  7. http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/ELaNa_I_Glory_CubeSat_Factsheet_2011_Final.pdf ELaNa-I
  8. Web site: Factsheet. nasa.gov.
  9. Web site: Factsheet. nasa.gov.
  10. https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/ELaNa_VI_L36_CubeSat_Factsheet.pdf CUBESAT ELaNa VI LAUNCH ON L-36 Mission
  11. Web site: Factsheet. nasa.gov.
  12. Web site: All ORS-3 payloads. 2018-01-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20141210004612/http://ors.csd.disa.mil/media/ORS-3_Payloads_A004.pdf. 2014-12-10. dead.
  13. Web site: NASA Helps Launch Student-Built Satellites and latest PhoneSat as Part of CubeSat Launch Initiative. 13 April 2015. NASA. 30 October 2015. 19 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150919225035/http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasa-helps-launch-student-built-satellites-and-latest-phonesat-as-part-of-cubesat-launch/. dead.
  14. Web site: ORS-3 Mission Fact Sheet. 2018-01-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20141210012638/http://ors.csd.disa.mil/media/ORS-3_Factsheet_B003.pdf. 2014-12-10. dead.
  15. https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/ELaNa_IV_ORS3_CubeSat_Factsheet_2013_Final.pdf CubeSat ELaNa IV Launch on ORS-3
  16. Web site: Factsheet. nasa.gov. 27 January 2018. 7 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170207195154/https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/ELaNA-II-FactSheet-v4.pdf. dead.
  17. Web site: ELaNa II Mission Helps Launch Student-Built Satellites. 13 April 2015. NASA. 30 October 2015. 3 November 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151103184828/http://www.nasa.gov/content/elana-ii-mission-helps-launch-student-built-satellites/. dead.
  18. Web site: Factsheet. nasa.gov.
  19. Web site: NASA Launches the Dreams of the Crowd on the ELaNa V Mission as part of CubeSat Launch Initiative. 13 April 2015. NASA. 30 October 2015. 15 October 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151015055559/http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasa-launches-the-dreams-of-the-crowd-on-the-elana-v-mission-as-part-of-cubesat-launch/. dead.
  20. https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/ELaNa_V_Spx3_CubeSat_Factsheet_508.pdf ELaNa V CubeSat Launch on SpaceX-3 Mission.
  21. Web site: Factsheet. nasa.gov.
  22. Web site: University Satellites Studying Space Weather and Climate Change Will Launch on NASA's ELaNa X Mission. 9 April 2015. NASA. 30 October 2015. 3 November 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151103220119/http://www.nasa.gov/content/university-satellites-studying-space-weather-and-climate-change-will-launch-on-nasas-elana/. dead.
  23. https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/ELaNa-X-Factsheet-508(1).pdf ELaNa 10 CubeSat Launch on SMAP Mission
  24. Web site: Factsheet. nasa.gov.
  25. Web site: Factsheet. nasa.gov.
  26. Web site: ELaNa XII Launches 4 CubeSats into Orbit on NROL-55. NASA. 2 October 2015. 30 October 2015.
  27. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/elana-cubesat-launches ELaNa CubeSat Launches
  28. Web site: Factsheet. www.nasa.gov.
  29. Web site: Erin Mahoney. ELaNa VII CubeSat Launch on ORS-4 Mission. NASA. 30 October 2015. 30 October 2015. 24 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151224201324/http://www.nasa.gov/feature/elana-vii-cubesat-launch/. dead.
  30. Web site: ORS-4. 2018-01-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20141210005537/http://ors.csd.disa.mil/media/ORS-4_Factsheet_Front_and_Back_A004.pdf. 2014-12-10. dead.
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/elana-vii-cubesat-launch ELaNa VII CubeSat Launch on ORS-4 Mission
  32. Web site: Clark. Stephen . Air Force declares failure on Super Strypi test launch. Spaceflight Now. 4 November 2015.
  33. Web site: Factsheet. nasa.gov.
  34. Web site: Mahoney. Erin. NASA ELaNa IX Mission Launches First CubeSat Built By Elementary School Students. CubeSat Launch Initiative. NASA. December 1, 2015. 23 January 2017. 6 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161106003919/http://www.nasa.gov/feature/elana-ix/. dead.
  35. Web site: Factsheet. nasa.gov. 27 January 2018. 1 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170601043237/https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/elana-xvii_oa7-factsheet_508_0.pdf. dead.
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/elana-xvii_oa7-factsheet_508_0.pdf ELaNa XVII International Space Station CubeSat Deployment
  37. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/08/spacex-falcon-9-launch-crs-12-dragon-mission-iss/ SpaceX Falcon 9 launches CRS-12 Dragon mission to the ISS
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/content/past-elana-cubesat-launches Past ElaNa CubeSat Launches
  39. Web site: Launch schedule. SpaceFlight Now. Clark. Stephen. July 19, 2018. July 20, 2018.
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/content/elana-xv-space-test-program-2-stp-2-cubesat-launch ELaNa XV: Space Test Program-2 (STP-2) CubeSat Launch
  41. Web site: Virgin's satellite launcher reaches orbit on second try. Spaceflight Now. 17 January 2021. 17 January 2021.
  42. Web site: Clark . Stephen . SpaceX smashes record with launch of 143 small satellites . Spaceflight Now . 24 January 2021 . 29 January 2021.
  43. Web site: Clark . Stephen . Live coverage: SpaceX launches space station cargo mission . Spaceflight Now . 29 August 2021 . 29 August 2021.
  44. Web site: Atlas V Landsat 9 . . 26 September 2021 . 26 September 2021.
  45. Web site: Warren . Haygen . NASA, SpaceX launch CRS-24 to the International Space Station . . 20 December 2021 . 21 December 2021.
  46. Web site: Wall . Mike . Virgin Orbit sends 7 satellites to orbit in fourth mid-air launch . . 14 January 2022 . 14 January 2022.
  47. Web site: Beil . Adrian . Astra suffers failure on ELaNa 41 mission . 10 February 2022 . 11 February 2022 . NASASpaceFlight.
  48. Web site: Garcia . Mark . U.S. Cargo Craft Launches to Station for Monday Delivery . . 19 February 2022 . 20 February 2022.
  49. Web site: Burghardt . Thomas . Virgin Orbit launches seven satellites for US Space Force and NASA . 2 July 2022 . NASASpaceFlight. July 2022 .
  50. Web site: Clark . Stephen . Live coverage: SpaceX launches space station cargo mission . Spaceflight Now . 14 July 2022 . 15 July 2022.
  51. Web site: Navin . Joseph . NASA, SpaceX launch CRS-26 mission to ISS . 26 November 2022 . 27 November 2022 . NASASpaceFlight.
  52. Web site: Davenport . Justin . CRS-27 launches fresh cargo and experiments to ISS . . 14 March 2023 . 15 March 2023.
  53. Web site: Lentz . Danny . SpaceX Transporter-7 launches 51 payloads, booster return to LZ . . 15 April 2023 . 15 April 2023.
  54. Web site: Lentz . Danny . SpaceX launches Transporter-10 rideshare from Vandenberg . 4 March 2024 . 9 March 2024 . NASASpaceFlight.
  55. Web site: Smith . Martin . SpaceX's 30th resupply mission uses new access tower at SLC-40 for the first time . 21 March 2024 . 24 March 2024 . NASASpaceFlight.
  56. Web site: Alpha FLTA005 "Noise of Summer".
  57. Web site: NASA Sets Coverage for Northrop Grumman’s 21st Station Resupply Launch - NASA . 2024-08-06 . en-US.
  58. Web site: Phelps . Norman . Cheney . Liam . CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) Update . . 21 August 2023.
  59. Web site: Upcoming ElaNa CubeSat Launches . . 3 July 2016 . 18 March 2022.

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