Initial Operation Results of a 50kg-class Deep Space Exploration Micro-Spacecraft PROCYON

Initial Operation Results of a 50kg-class Deep Space Exploration Micro-Spacecraft PROCYON

This paper presents the development and initial operation results of 50kg-class deep space exploration microspacecraft PROCYON (Proximate Object Close flYby with Optical Navigation), which was jointly developed by the University of Tokyo and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The primary mission of PROCYON is the world’s first demonstration of 50kg-class deep space exploration bus system which includes the demonstration of high-efficiency GaN-based SSPA (Solid State Power Amplifier) for communication and high-precision navigation by a novel method of DDOR (Delta Differential One-way Range) observation. PROCYON also has some secondary advanced missions, which are deep space flight to a Near-earth asteroid and high resolution observation of the asteroid during close and fast flyby, and the wide view scientific observation of geocorona by a Lyman alpha imager from a vantage point outside of the Earth’s geocoronal distribution. PROCYON was developed at very low cost (a few million dollars) and within very short period (about 1 year), taking advantage of the heritage from Japanese Earth-orbiting micro satellite missions. PROCYON was launched into an Earth departure trajectory together with Japanese second asteroid sample return spacecraft Hayabusa-2 on December 3, 2014, and it has achieved its primary mission and some of the secondary missions.