Comments on: ISS^3

By: Ben H.

Ben H. — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 12:19:00 +0000

For those wondering, the cubesats were loaded into two small “guns” on the end of the Japanese RMS (robotic manipulator system). Each gun was basically a spring loaded tube that could hold 3 of these cubesats in a stack. There was a compressed spring at the back end that pushed them out at several feet per second velocity when a pin on the front was released. The RMS was aimed at a downward and aft facing angle to send the cubesats into a faster and lower orbit than ISS.

- Ben H.
Mission Control, TX

By: ISS^3 | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine | Astronomy findings | Scoop.it

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:31:54 +0000

[...] It's really opened up what kind of space science and exploration can be done, and I have to admit, is something I never thought of when I dreamed of space travel as a kid. Or heck, as an adult either. [...]

By: Peter B

Peter B — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 23:41:34 +0000

Joseph G @ #19 said: “So if I were to guess, I’d guess for a prograde or retrograde deployment.”

That all makes sense.

“Of course we’ve got infinitely more choices than these three exact axes, so it was probably some combination of the three.”

That makes even more sense.

However, one thought which occurs to me is that both the ISS and the cubes would experience drag, lowering their orbits. The ISS can be periodically boosted, so the danger of collision would disappear after the first boost.

But before ISS boosting, would atmospheric drag affect the cubes more or less than the ISS? I assume the determining factor would be relative density, with the denser object less affected. So how dense are the cubes?

By: burnsbothends

burnsbothends — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 14:10:02 +0000

In my head, I hear one going “Help me spaceman! Spaceman, help me! SPAAAAAAAAAACCEEEEEEEEEE” and the others muttering at it to shut up.

Then again, my love for Portal is immense, and these are just close enough in size to personality spheres that my fangirl was triggered.

By: kat wagner

kat wagner — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 02:47:05 +0000

Outta this world. What could be cooler than the Dr. Who references?

By: Finally launched into space in 2013 NASA satellites with Nexus One and Nexus S | Mobile News Pedia

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 02:23:46 +0000

[...] satellites will have the shape of a cube of 10 cm per side, so we bet and will now look like from space satellites CubeSats (also a cubic decimeter), launched a few days ago from the International Space [...]

By: Auki Henry

Auki Henry — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 01:39:04 +0000

How fitting that everyones favourite Borg ( seven of nine ) picked up on this article – https://twitter.com/JeriLRyan/status/256195611202834432

By: Finalmente lanzarán al espacio el 2013 los satélites de la N... - Wayerless

Finalmente lanzarán al espacio el 2013 los satélites de la N... - Wayerless — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 01:01:44 +0000

[...] tendrán la forma de un cubo de 10 centímetros por lado, por lo que ya apostamos que se verán como actualmente lucen desde el espacio los satélites CubeSats (también de un decímetro cúbico), lanzados hace unos días atrás [...]

By: Johnny Vector

Johnny Vector — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 23:11:43 +0000

Cry baby cry,
Make your mother sigh.

By: Infinite123Lifer

Infinite123Lifer — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 21:58:29 +0000

Based on that 2nd picture … their not building a bypass . . . are they?

“0.08 km^2 per Cubesat”

yeah, thats about the time Earth gets obliterated. Oh well, we can always have another one built right? I got my towel.

I’ll just save all my ignorance about my understanding of orbits or orbiting debris, how stuff moves through space particularly the hexahedrons in relation to eachother and the ISS and how those teeny tiny little cubes resemble decoy AllSparks. The pictures are a huge slice of awesome.