Document Type
Conference Paper
Journal/Book Title/Conference
IEEE Aerospace Conference
Publisher
IEEE
Location
Big Sky, MT
Publication Date
3-10-2026
First Page
1
Last Page
9
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Abstract
The Air Force Research Lab’s (AFRL) Small Satellite Portfolio (SSP) produces end-to-end smallsat missions. The portfolio has designed, launched and operated four satellites in the last five years and aims to continue to provide the warfighter with impactful and enabling technologies. One of these four missions was the AFRL XVI CubeSat which was launched on SpaceX’s Transporter 8 in June of 2023. XVI’s primary objectives were to demonstrate that Link-16 network participation was possible from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and provide the warfighter with a beyond-line-of-sight capability without modifications to existing network hardware or software.
XVI pioneered the research, technology and testing for Link-16 participation from LEO. The Space Development Agency (SDA) became XVI’s transition partner, given the use of the Link-16 payloads in LEO on the SDA Transport Layer satellites.
XVI’s mission design, testing and operations are discussed. The focus of this paper is to describe lessons learned and explain how the AFRL team repurposed the mission post-launch due to regulatory delays which led to hardware component failures. Some of the valuable artifacts that emerged from the revectoring include the following: utilizing the unclassified operations center for training of high school students to military generals, providing on-orbit data for artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) models, ground software automation development, advancing Very Low Earth Orbit (vLEO) operations and ground tracking. The collaboration and achievements with the Space Force’s Space Test Course are also discussed.
XVI’s educational outreach has expanded since launch and has allowed the AFRL’s University Nanosat Program (UNP) students to receive on-orbit operational experience and training. XVI’s revectoring post-launch demonstrates AFRL’s capability to adapt to new mission challenges.
Recommended Citation
E. Chavez, A. Knuth, L. Jasper, A. Reinelt, “Revectoring a Mission Post-Launch: The Air Force Research Laboratory’s XVI Mission, Operations and Lessons Learned,” IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, MT, Mar 7 - 14, 2026. Paper No. 5.0403.