STANFORD UNIVERSITY
EE 350 RADIOSCIENCE SEMINAR
Professor Antony Fraser-Smith
Fall 2000-2001
Date: Wednesday, May 23, 2001
Time: 4:15-5:30 PM; Refreshments at 4:00 PM
Location: Bldg. 200, Rm. 34
Picosat Science: Something new in Space?
Dr. Victor Aguero
SRI International
Abstract
Picosats, pico-satellites with a mass of less than 1 kg, provide
sufficient capability to serve as test platforms for new technologies and
provide a framework for new science missions. Besides being an excellent educational
tool at the
university level, this new satellite category is proving to be
capable of a broad array of science functionality previously attributed only to
satellites with 100's of times more mass. This new opportunity is opening the door to
many low cost science missions previously considered financially unrealistic,
especially missions involving constellations of small satellites. Stanford's Aero/Astro
department is playing a key role in this new revolution with it's 10 cm on edge Cubesat,
the first 14 of which are scheduled to launch in late 2001 or early 2002. The
success of this small, low-cost platform provides new opportunities for space,
telecommunications, and radio science researchers.