TechEdSat 11 (TES 11)

TechEdSat 11 (TES 11) [NASA]

The TechEdSat 11 (TES 11) is a 6U (2×3U) CubeSat that will function as a high temperature, accurate deorbit reentry nanosatellite.

TechEdSat-10 contains 150 watt-hours of power storage, eight radios, nine processors, and a graphics processing unit. Additionally, the small satellite carries four cameras, including a stereoscopic virtual reality camera experiment.

Like several TechEdSat missions before it, this mission is demonstrating the exo-brake technology in its largest iteration to date. The exo-brake is designed to deploy an umbrella-like "brake" to increase drag and take a small satellite out of orbit. This mission, the exo-brake can be controlled or modulated by commands from the ground in order to target a re-entry point. In the future, this could enable sample return missions from orbit and future planetary missions.

Additionally it hosted the DCS Use Concept Validation project to determine if satellites, primarily small satellites in low earth orbit, can successfully interface with the data collection system (DCS) receivers and thus provide a low-rate data (100, 300, or greater bps) service to satellite users; primarily to assist in launch, early orbit, and anomaly (LEO&A) operations or low data required observations.

It was selected by NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) to be launched as part of the ELaNa program.