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Dragracer A, B (Alchemy, Augury)
Dragracer [Millenium Space]
Dragracer is mission to demostrate electrodynamic deorbiting of satellites to show, that a small satellite with a deployable tether can safely deorbit in a matter of weeks.
The Dragracer project is a joint project to test Tethers Unlimited's Terminator Tape, a conductive tape designed to produce enough drag to lower the satellite's orbit. Millenium Space provides the bus, integration is provided by TriSept and launch by Rocket Lab.
The mission consists of two basically identical satellites 6U (2×2×1.5U) CubeSats of a joint weight of 25 kg. The satellite with the terminator tape is called Alchemy, while the reference satellite is called Augury. After deployment, the two spacecraft split up and one deploys the 70 m Terminator tether, while the other one decays naturally to provide a direct comparisson. It is expected, that the satellite with Terminator Tape will reenter after about two to four weeks, while the other will remain about eight months in orbit. Millennium will use radar to track the satellites and collect data.
Dragracer was launched in November 2020 on a rideshare mission on an Electron KS (R) rocket into a 400 km sun-synchronous orbit.
| Nation: | USA |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Technology |
| Operator: | TriSept Corp. |
| Contractors: | Millenium Space (bus); Tethers Unlimited (payload) |
| Equipment: | Terminator Tape deorbiting device |
| Configuration: | CubeSat (6U (2×2×1.5U)) (Raptor class bus) |
| Propulsion: | - |
| Power: | |
| Lifetime: | |
| Mass: | 12.5 kg |
| Orbit: | 400 km, SSO |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragracer A (Alchemy) | 2020-085AB | 20.11.2020 | OnS LC-1A | Electron KS (R) | with Dragracer B, BRO 2, BRO 3, Mandrake 1, SpaceBEE 22, ..., 39, SpaceBEENZ 1, ..., 6, APSS 1, Gnome Chompski | |
| Dragracer B (Augury) | 2020-085AC | 20.11.2020 | OnS LC-1A | Electron KS (R) | with Dragracer A, BRO 2, BRO 3, Mandrake 1, SpaceBEE 22, ..., 39, SpaceBEENZ 1, ..., 6, APSS 1, Gnome Chompski |
References:
- Space News: TriSept, Millennium and Rocket Lab to demonstrate de-orbit technology, 6 August 2019
- Millennium Space Systems: Millennium Space Systems and Tethers Unlimited to test space tether solution, 16 July 2020
