The American Space Agency NASA is all set to send the most powerful rocket consisting of 13 ‘CubeSats’ in it. These satellite secondary payloads or ‘CubeSats’ will carry sci-tech investigations to help pave the way for future human exploration in deep space. The first flight of NASA’s new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), will carry 13 CubeSats to test innovative ideas along with an uncrewed Orion spacecraft in 2018.
These small satellite secondary payloads will carry science and technology investigations to help pave the way for future human exploration in deep space, including the journey to Mars. SLS’ first flight, referred to as Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), provides the rare opportunity for these small experiments to reach deep space destinations, as most launch opportunities for CubeSats are limited to low-Earth orbit.
“The 13 CubeSats that will fly to deep space as secondary payloads aboard SLS on EM-1 showcase the intersection of science and technology, and advance our journey to Mars,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Dava Newman. The secondary payloads were selected through a series of announcements of flight opportunities, a NASA challenge and negotiations with NASA’s international partners.
‘Lunar Flashlight’ will look for ice deposits and identify locations where resources may be extracted from the lunar surface while ‘LunaH-Map’ will map hydrogen within craters and other permanently shadowed regions throughout the moon’s south pole. “The SLS is providing an incredible opportunity to conduct science missions and test key technologies beyond low-Earth orbit,” said Bill Hill, deputy associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
“This rocket has the unprecedented power to send Orion to deep space plus room to carry 13 small satellites – payloads that will advance our knowledge about deep space with minimal cost.” NASA has also reserved three slots for payloads from international partners. Discussions to fly those three payloads are ongoing, and they will be announced at a later time.
Three payloads were selected by NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate:
- Near-Earth Asteroid Scout or NEA Scout will perform reconnaissance of an asteroid, take pictures and observe its position in space
- Bio-Sentinel will use yeast to detect, measure and compare the impact of deep space radiation on living organisms over long durations in deep space
- Lunar Flashlight will look for ice deposits and identify locations where resources may be extracted from the lunar surface