Satnews Daily

Perfect Precision For MinXSS CubeSat Supplied By Blue Canyon Technologies—It's All About Attitude

In its first flight, the XACT attitude control system from Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT) is providing high-performance guidance, navigation, and control to the orbiting Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) smallsat.



Blue Canyon's XACT Attitude Determination Control System. Blue Canyon's XACT Attitude Determination Control System.

A 3U CubeSat funded by NASA and led by the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, MinXSS requires precision pointing to carry out its scientific objectives. Integrating an array of high-performance miniaturized space sensors and actuators, including BCT’s Nano Star Tracker and Micro Reaction Wheels, the XACT unit provides state-of-the-art attitude control for small spacecraft like MinXSS. On-orbit telemetry from the XACT unit and independent spacecraft instrumentation indicates 1-sigma cross-axis pointing error better than 8 arcseconds, which is less than the width of the Empire State Building as viewed from Los Angeles.





The launch of the MinXSS CubeSat from the ISS. The launch of the MinXSS CubeSat from the ISS. Photo is courtesy of NASA.

MinXSS was deployed from the International Space Station on May 16th and is designed to collect soft X-ray emissions from the sun that will help scientists better understand space weather in which solar storms impact our space-based technology such as communication and navigation systems.

The mission exemplifies the increasing capability of low-cost CubeSat missions, which have proliferated as enabling technology has developed.

In the coming years, BCT’s XACT attitude control system and XB-1 spacecraft bus are slated for dozens of flights in support of a wide array of scientific, commercial, and defense missions.

bluecanyontech.com/

Dates Set For The SmallSat Symposium—2017

Prepare To Be Wow'd

To assist in acquiring the knowledge and expertise to enter and/or continue the acquisition of technology and product to become a successful smallsat actor, Satnews Publishers is delighted to announce that the SmallSat Symposium workshops will be held on February 6, 2017 , and the conference will be conducted from February 7 to February 8, 2017 , at the Computer History Museum, which is located at 1401 North Shoreline Boulevard in Mountain View, California.

A veritable "Who's Who" of subject-matter experts have already committed to presentations during this impact-filled symposium:

Chad Anderson, Managing Director Space Angels Network

Jason Andrews, CEO Spaceflight Industries David A. Anhalt, Vice President and General Manager Iridium PRIME

Chris Baugh, President NSR - Northern Sky Research

Peter Beck, CEO & CTO Rocket Lab

Dr. Sami BenAmor, Director of Marketing Thales Alenia Space

John Booher, Partner Hogan Lovells

Dr. Sean Casey, Managing Director Silicon Valley Space Center

Carissa Christensen, Managing Partner The Tauri Group

Craig Clark, Founder Clyde Space Ltd.

Mike Collett, Founder and Managing Partner Promus Ventures

James Crawford, Founder and CEO Orbital Insight

Randy Culver, CEO AMERGINT Technologies

Stuart Daughtridge, Senior VP Advanced Technology Kratos

Dr. Lars Dyrud, CEO OmniEarth

Dr. Shahin Farshchi, Partner Lux Capital

Dr. Jenny Gautier, Director of Commercial Programs The Aerospace Corporation

Dr. Steve Goldberg, CEO & Co-Founder Venrock

David Hartshorn, Secretary General GVF - Global VSAT Forum

Susan J. Irwin, President Irwin Communications, Inc.

John P. Janka, Partner Latham & Watkins LLP

Adam Keith, Managing Director Euroconsult Canada

Debra Facktor Lepore, VP and GM of Strategic Operations Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp

Tony Lin, Counsel, Washington, DC Hogan Lovells

Dr. Clare Martin, Vice President of Programs Surrey Satellite Technology US

Clayton Mowry, President Arianespace

Carlos Niederstrasser, Business Development & Special Initiatives Orbital ATK

Sunil Nagaraj, Vice President of Marketing and Communications Bessemer Venture Partners

Dara A. Panahy, Partner Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy

Will Pomerantz, Vice President for Special Projects Virgin Galactic

Dr. Alex Saltman, Senior Vice President GeoOptics Inc.

Randy S. Segal, Partner, Co-Lead Satellite Practice Hogan Lovells

David Strobel, CEO and Program Manager (PM) Space Micro

Chris Stott, Chairman & CEO (PM) ManSat

Tom Stroup, President SIA - Satellite Industry Association

Professor Sir Martin Sweeting, Founder and Executive Chairman Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.

Stig-Are Thrana, U.S. Sales Director and Head of Kongsberg Silicon Valley Office Kongsberg Satellite Services

Dr. Joe Thurgood, Vice President Corporate Development and Marketing Hera Systems

Dr. Marco Villa, President & COO Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems

Tony Wilkey, Senior Vice President AvL Technologies

Bruce Yost, Project Manager NASA Ames Research Center

Louis Zacharilla, Director of Development Society of Satellite Professionals International (SSPI)

Bonus—the first 100 registrants will qualify for a $200 discount on the standard event admission... take advantage of this offer... don't dawdle... and register now at this direct link.