Michael A. Savell.
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John Vasquez of the Naval Research
Laboratory prepares Starshine 1 for
vibration test. Photo by Michael A. Savell. |
Starshine 2 Update - December 11, 2001 |
Here's an image of Space Shuttle Endeavor on final approach to the
International Space Spation on December 7, 2001. In the cargo bay forward of
the Rafaello module can be seen the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's MACH-1
pallet. At the forward starboard corner of the pallet can be seen the Starshine 2
satellite peeking out of its Hitchhiker canister.
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Starshine 2 Update - December 5, 2001 |
 Click here: NASA/Kennedy Space Center Mutimedia Gallery |
Space Shuttle Endeavor lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at
5:19 PM EST on December 5, 2001, carrying the Starshine 2 satellite in its cargo
bay. Astronaut Dan Tani will deploy Starshine 2 into its own orbit at 11:05 A.M.
EST on December 15.
Pre-Launch videos: Interview with Gil Moore, Starshine Program Manager |
Starshine 2 Update - November 27, 2001Launch preparations for Starshine 2 and all the other payloads on NASA Goddard's MACH-1 pallet have been successfully completed by Integration and Test Manager Bobby Patschke and his team. Here's a picture that Bobby took in Endeavor's cargo bay on November 26 of Phyllis Moore of Starshine Headquarters, making the traditional "STARSHINE GO!" pronouncement, after giving the satellite one last visual inspection.
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| The Starshine 2 student research satellite is on schedule for launch aboard Space Shuttle Endeavor on its STS-108 mission to the International Space Station on December 4, 2001. |
| This is what the satellite will look like, following its deployment from Endeavor into its own 51.6 degree, 240-mile (387-km) high, circular orbit no earlier than on December 14, 2001. It is a 19 in (48 cm) diameter aluminum sphere that weighs 85 lb (38 kg). Its surface is covered by 845 aluminum mirrors that have been polished by 30,000 students in 660 schools in 26 countries. It also carries 31 laser retro reflectors. Protruding from the bottom of the satellite is an aluminum "stinger rod" that will extend upon deployment from the Hitchhiker canister and actuate a Nitrogen gas system to spin the satellite at 5 degrees per second. Also visible is the portion of the V-band clamp system that will remain with the satellite after deployment. Below is an image of the Hitchhiker Payload Ejection System that will hold the satellite in place in its canister during Shuttle launch and climb to orbit. One day after Endeavor has undocked from the ISS, 10 days into the flight, Mission Specialist Daniel Tani will electrically command two pyrotechnic cutters (one of which is |  |
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visible at the center of this image) to sever bolts and release the clamp band. This will allow a compression spring located in the cylindrical column seen behind and below the cutter to deploy Starshine 2 out of its canister and away from the orbiter. The Nitrogen gas system mentioned above will then spin the satellite to reflect flashes of sunlight every three or four seconds. Starshine 2 is now sitting in its canister on the MACH-1 pallet in Endeavor's cargo bay at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. |
Here is Dr. Ruthan Lewis, MACH-1 Mission
Manager, together with her Integration and Test team, in front of their pallet prior to its
orbiter installation. Starshine 2's canister can be seen at the upper left corner of the pallet.
Here is Endeavor waiting on the pad for its scheduled liftoff on November 30, 2001.
As soon as Starshine 2 is deployed from Endeavor, the U.S. Space Command will start to track it and email its orbital elements to the Goddard Space Flight Center Orbital Information Group. Our friend, Chris Peat of Munich, Germany, will then access those elements and compute the specific times that the satellite will be visible in the twilight (pre-dawn or post- sunset) sky to any observer in the world between latitudes 62 degrees north and 62 degrees south. To learn when you can see Starshine 2 (clouds permitting), click here Heavens-Above.com and follow Chris's instructions. Don't forget to specify which Starshine satellite you want to see, because there will be two of them in orbit at the same time until Starshine 2 flames out sometime in the summer of 2002. Here is the new logo for the Starshine 2 mission. It was created by Praxis Corporation's Mary Helen Gregory, who has generously donated the designs of all our Starshine logos. Click here for more information about the logo and all the organizations and individuals that make the Starshine project possible .
 Click here for high resolution 300 DPI image (979 kb) |
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Last Updated: April 29, 2002
