ST5 Success

22Mar06

Pegasus XL dropping from L-1011

The Pegasus rocket carrying ST5 drops away from the L-1011 carrier aircraft known as “Stargazer.” Image credit: NASA

ST5 Launch Status Update

Pegasus is away! At 9:03 a.m. EST, the Pegasus rocket carrying three ST5 micro-satellites dropped from its carrier jet.

All three of the ST5 satellites have deployed from the Pegasus rocket and are orbiting Earth. Next, each of the spacecraft will be checked to ensure it’s functioning properly before beginning its mission evaluating the use of micro-satellite technology and examining the planet’s inner magnetosphere.

Spaceflight Now reports that communications have been received from two of ST5’s three microsats thus far. I’ll post another update once their health status has been ascertained.

View today’s sequence of events at NASA’S VLCC.

Added 10:24 CST:

All three microsats have been heard from, and things are looking good so far. Read the latest from Spaceflight Now.

Added 12:28 CST:

NASA’s Space Technology 5 Satellites Soar Into Space

Added 23 March:

Up, up, and away!

Pegasus launches from the L-1011. Image credit: NASA

Watch a replay of the Space Tech 5 launch.

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Filed under: News, Science, Space   |  

2 Responses to “ST5 Success”  

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  1. 1 sunil on Mar 23rd, 2006 said:

    you will be surprise to hear that in India there are the great spectators for the NASA news on the televisions, there are great stuff on NASA in the newspapers and in the magzines also. the elder one the junior and everyone in India, always looks and enjoy the things which are sky related,

    and I think NASA is the world’s ikon in that field of sky/astronomy/research and everything related. the stargazer is looking like a “son of dolphin” in the photo, very nice photo, our hungry eyes just gets a satisfaction by looking such interesting photos, and though such sort of mission are of much importance.

    sunil

  2. 2 Wolverine on Mar 23rd, 2006 said:

    Glad to hear that many eyes are watching, Sunil. :)

    I had the pleasure of watching the ST5 launch in real time yesterday (on NASA TV). It’s really amazing that such small satellites have such neat scientific potential.

    And, there are more in development as well — check out Space Tech 6 and Space Tech 7. If these small, relatively inexpensive designs fare well, I think they could really have an impact on how space science is done in the future.

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