SNaP

SNaP [SMDC]

The SNaP (SMDC Nanosatellite Program) are experimental 3U cubesats built for the US Army SMDC with a mission to develop user software-defined radios to provide beyond-line-of-sight communication for disadvantaged users in remote locations.

The missions will demonstrate nanosatellite communication capabilities as a continuation of the SMDC-ONE program. These are much more capable in the communication arena and are a much more robust version of the previous SMDC nanosatellites. This is a Joint Capabilities Technology Demonstration that will focus on voice and data communications beyond line of sight and improved access to high value information.

Another difference from previous satellites is that this is the SMDC's first cubesat series with propulsion capability, attitude control and SMDC's first with deployable solar arrays for battery charging. They have five times the data rate of the SMDC-ONE satellites. On the zenith side, the satellites have four deployable solar arrays, while the nadir side features four pop-up UHF antennas.

SNAP technology demonstrators are providing beyond-line-of-sight communications to the tactical level. High frequency Ka-Band nano-satellites and Army Resilient Global On-the-move SATCOM (ARGOS) provide information resilience in austere environments.