Session
Technical Session XI: Mission Lessons II
Abstract
The second Radio Aurora Explorer satellite, RAX-2, is a triple CubeSat studying the formation of plasma irregularities in Earth’s ionosphere. The spacecraft was developed jointly by SRI International and the University of Michigan, and it is the first satellite funded by the National Science Foundation. RAX-2 launched October 28, 2011 and is currently operating on orbit. RAX uses a bistatic radar configuration to study the ionospheric irregularities: a ground-based incoherent scatter radar station illuminates the irregularities, and the RAX-based radar receiver measures radar scatter from the irregularities. RAX has successfully measured radar scatter from the ionospheric irregularities, providing unprecedented auroral region measurements. In this paper, we review the mission goals and satellite development, and discuss initial flight results from the mission. This includes a summary of results from the first detection of radar scatter, power system performance, spacecraft attitude dynamics, global UHF noise measurements, and data download strategies and results of partnering with the amateur radio community.
Presentation Slides
Initial Flight Results of the RAX-2 Satellite
The second Radio Aurora Explorer satellite, RAX-2, is a triple CubeSat studying the formation of plasma irregularities in Earth’s ionosphere. The spacecraft was developed jointly by SRI International and the University of Michigan, and it is the first satellite funded by the National Science Foundation. RAX-2 launched October 28, 2011 and is currently operating on orbit. RAX uses a bistatic radar configuration to study the ionospheric irregularities: a ground-based incoherent scatter radar station illuminates the irregularities, and the RAX-based radar receiver measures radar scatter from the irregularities. RAX has successfully measured radar scatter from the ionospheric irregularities, providing unprecedented auroral region measurements. In this paper, we review the mission goals and satellite development, and discuss initial flight results from the mission. This includes a summary of results from the first detection of radar scatter, power system performance, spacecraft attitude dynamics, global UHF noise measurements, and data download strategies and results of partnering with the amateur radio community.
