Not to be confused with PicSat, a French CubeSat active in 2018.
Passive Inspection CubeSats, or PICS, is a technology demonstration spacecraft mission utilizing two CubeSatminiaturized satellites, identified as PIC-A and PIC-B. The project was developed by students at Brigham Young University (BYU) as part of NASA's Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNA) initiative beginning in 2016.[1][2] The satellites are outfitted with cameras to be able to get a 360-degree view to visually assess the exterior of other spacecraft and detect possible damage. BYU professor David Long termed the project a "spacecraft selfie cam."[3][4]
PIC-A and PIC-B were originally scheduled to be launched in 2018, but launch was delayed until 2021. PICs was successfully launched into orbit along with eight other CubeSats during Virgin Orbit's Launch Demo 2 on January 17, 2021. In Virgin Orbit's first successful air-launch-to-orbit, the Boeing 747-400Cosmic Girl carried a LauncherOne orbital rocket from Mojave Air and Space Port to the Pacific Ocean, where LauncherOne separated from the aircraft and achieved orbit.[5]
^"NASA Announces Seventh Round of Candidates for CubeSat Space Missions". NASA. 2016. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
^"This BYU camera is launching into orbit to take photos of NASA spacecraft". BYU News. November 11, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
^Bennett, Lauren (November 11, 2020). "This BYU camera is launching into orbit to take photos of NASA spacecraft". KSL.com. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
^"Announcing the Window for Launch Demo 2". Virgin Orbit. 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
External linksedit
Advanced Spacecraft Group at BYU
Passive CubeSats for Remote Inspection of Space Vehicles, BYU Microwave Earth Remote Sensing
NASA ELaNa 20 Fact Sheet
video about PICS launch
This article about one or more spacecraft of the United States is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
passive, inspection, cubesat, confused, with, picsat, french, cubesat, active, 2018, pics, technology, demonstration, spacecraft, mission, utilizing, cubesat, miniaturized, satellites, identified, project, developed, students, brigham, young, university, part,. Not to be confused with PicSat a French CubeSat active in 2018 Passive Inspection CubeSats or PICS is a technology demonstration spacecraft mission utilizing two CubeSat miniaturized satellites identified as PIC A and PIC B The project was developed by students at Brigham Young University BYU as part of NASA s Educational Launch of Nanosatellites ELaNA initiative beginning in 2016 1 2 The satellites are outfitted with cameras to be able to get a 360 degree view to visually assess the exterior of other spacecraft and detect possible damage BYU professor David Long termed the project a spacecraft selfie cam 3 4 Passive Inspection CubeSats PIC A amp PIC B Mission typeTechnology DemonstrationOperatorBrigham Young UniversityCOSPAR ID2021 002WebsiteBYU Advanced Spacecraft Group 1 Spacecraft propertiesSpacecraft type1U CubeSat eachManufacturerBrigham Young UniversityDry mass1 35 kg eachPowerSolar cells batteriesStart of missionLaunch date17 Jan 2020 2020 01 17Z UTCRocketLauncherOneLaunch siteMojave Air and Space Port California United StatesContractorVirgin OrbitOrbital parametersReference systemGeocentricRegimeLow EarthPericircular altitude500 kmApocircular altitude500 kmInclination60 69 PIC A and PIC B were originally scheduled to be launched in 2018 but launch was delayed until 2021 PICs was successfully launched into orbit along with eight other CubeSats during Virgin Orbit s Launch Demo 2 on January 17 2021 In Virgin Orbit s first successful air launch to orbit the Boeing 747 400 Cosmic Girl carried a LauncherOne orbital rocket from Mojave Air and Space Port to the Pacific Ocean where LauncherOne separated from the aircraft and achieved orbit 5 See also edit nbsp Spaceflight portalList of CubeSats Educational Launch of NanosatellitesReferences edit Passive Inspection CubeSats Brigham Young University Retrieved 2021 01 17 NASA Announces Seventh Round of Candidates for CubeSat Space Missions NASA 2016 Retrieved 2021 01 17 This BYU camera is launching into orbit to take photos of NASA spacecraft BYU News November 11 2020 Retrieved January 17 2021 Bennett Lauren November 11 2020 This BYU camera is launching into orbit to take photos of NASA spacecraft KSL com Retrieved January 17 2021 Announcing the Window for Launch Demo 2 Virgin Orbit 2020 Retrieved January 17 2021 External links editAdvanced Spacecraft Group at BYU Passive CubeSats for Remote Inspection of Space Vehicles BYU Microwave Earth Remote Sensing NASA ELaNa 20 Fact Sheet video about PICS launch nbsp This article about one or more spacecraft of the United States is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Passive Inspection CubeSat amp oldid 1144897319, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
