Small Satellite Opportunities at Wallops Flight Facility

1. Small Satellite Opportunities atWallops Flight Facility Dr. John Campbell Director, Wallops Flight Facility

2. The Small Satellite Paradox Small satellites are not funded (nor built) because of a lack of affordable launch opportunities and Affordable small satellite launch capabilities have been slow to emerge due to a limited market

3. Small Satellite Launch Enablers • Low-cost small launch vehicles • Inexpensive & responsive launch ranges • Ride sharing

4. Low-Cost Launch Vehicles • Get-Away Special & Hitchhiker once served as the premier means for orbiting small satellites • New small ELVs are moving to fill the void • Minotaur I, IV, & V • SpaceX Falcon 1 • Etc. • Essential characteristics of new vehicles • Simple pad infrastructure • Short time from arrival at range to launch • Much lower cost per pound than current vehicles • Streamlined range support requirements (e.g., data services, personnel accommodations)

5. Small Launch Vehicle OptionsConducted from Wallops

6. Small Satellites to the Moon • Small ELVs (e.g., Minotaur V) launched from Wallops can transport 350-500 kg (payload is ~50%) to the Moon • Can provide low-cost options for Science and Exploration needs • Remote sensing orbiters • Impacters • Small landers • Communication & navigation orbiters

7. Small Satellite Launch Enablers • Low-cost small launch vehicles • Inexpensive & responsive launch ranges • Ride sharing

8. Launch Site on Wallops Island

9. Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) • MARS owns 2 launch complexes at Wallops • Used for Wallops small-to-medium class ELV missions • MARS is a VA & MD sponsored partnership with NASA chartered to pursue commercial aerospace opportunities at Wallops • Current agreements enable efficient work with Wallops, using multiple business models: • NASA support of MARS commercial launches • MARS support of NASA’s government launches

10. Wallops Operating Areas • Wallops operational areas offer nearly unlimited mission capabilities • Restricted NASA-controlled airspace encompasses Launch Range & Research Airport • NASA airspace provides direct access to Atlantic Ocean for hazardous mission operations • Wallops location & geography provides the most efficient access to desirable mid-inclination orbits of 38-60 degrees

11. Low-Cost Responsive Range Operations • Wallops Launch Range is “right-sized” for small spacecraft missions • Small spacecraft missions not competing against large ELVs or Shuttle • Staff & facilities sized for small orbital missions • Wallops has a history & reputation for supporting emerging, low-cost launch vehicles • Schedule flexibility allows for development mission complications • Safety & project support culture of assisting projects during development

12. Launch Site Integration Flow Spacecraft Plus Upper Stage Arrival ~L-30 days Pad ~L-14 days Launch! Range Control Center Lower Stages Arrival ~L-30 days Blockhouse 3

13. Minotaur I Launch @ Wallops

14. Small Satellite Launch Enablers • Low-cost small launch vehicles • Inexpensive & responsive launch ranges • Ride sharing

15. Ridesharing • Small ELVs are still larger than necessary for many small satellites • Multi-manifesting of small ELVs is critical to ensuring that “Micro-Explorer” spacecraft (50-200 lbs.) mature as a viable class of spacecraft • Wallops has developed the Multi-Payload Ejector as a key enabler to exploit small ELVs for spacecraft smaller than 1000 lbs.

16. Multi-Payload Ejector • MPE able to carry >800 lbs. of individual spacecraft • 1 primary (up to 200 lbs.) • 6 secondaries (up to 100 lbs. each) • 12 CubeSat tertiaries (up to 3 lbs. each) • Flexible • Configurable for any launch vehicle, as primary for smaller ELV & secondary for larger ELVs • Can be flown as 1, 2, or 3 segments allowing trade-offs on individual spacecraft masses/volume & orbital altitude • Low-cost & simple • Completes payload deployments within ½ orbit • Motorized spring deployments (no pyrotechnics) • Sounding rocket qualified timers • Single input from launch vehicle initiates all MPE events • Launch vehicle provides only necessary guidance/control • Rapid Integration

17. MPE Integration Flow Spacecraft I&T MPE Integration Vehicle Integration & Test . . . Spacecraft (S/C) Development & Test S/C Arrival @ Wallops MPE Integration with ELV S/C Receiving & Inspection S/C Integration with MPE T-4 weeks T-3 weeks T-2 weeks T-1 week Launch Day

18. MPE Simulation

19. Small Satellite Launch Costs by the PoundNot by the vehicle • Component Costs, w/o Spacecraft (Wallops Launch): • MPE (NASA): $1.5M • I&T (NASA): $300K • Range Services (NASA): $1.5M • Launch Vehicle $16M (assumes Minotaur I) TOTAL: $19.3M • Payload Capacity (MPE 3-stack configuration) • MPE Structure: ~300 lbs. • 1 primary spacecraft: 200 lbs. • 6 secondary spacecraft (100 lbs. each): 600 lbs. • 12 Cubesats (3 lbs. each) 36 lbs. Total Spacecraft mass for 19 spacecraft 836 lbs • Cost per payload mass • Minotaur I: $23K/payload lb. • Falcon I: $13.5K/payload lb.

20. Small Satellite Launch Enablers • Low-cost small launch vehicles • Inexpensive & responsive launch ranges • Ride sharing