Falcon 9 Flight 6
| Mission type | Technology Communications Research |
|---|---|
| Operator | MDA |
| COSPAR ID | 2013-055A |
| SATCAT no. | 39265 |
| Website | http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/cassiope.asp |
| Mission duration | Primary mission: 18 months Design life: 2 years Elapsed: 3 years, 7 months and 16 days |
| Orbits completed | 6763 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | MAC-200 |
| Manufacturer |
MDA (prime) Magellan Aerospace (subcontractor) Com Dev (subcontractor) |
| Launch mass | 500 kg (1,100 lb) |
| Dimensions | 180×125 cm (71×49 in) |
| Power | 5 solar panels generating up to 600 W |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | September 29, 2013, 16:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 v1.1 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg SLC-4E |
| Contractor | SpaceX |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Semi-major axis | 7,240.49 km (4,499.03 mi) |
| Eccentricity | 0.0744616 |
| Perigee | 330 km (210 mi) |
| Apogee | 1,408 km (875 mi) |
| Inclination | 80.98 degrees |
| Period | 102.19 minutes |
| RAAN | 192.36 degrees |
| Argument of perigee | 243.84 degrees |
| Mean anomaly | 14.09 degrees |
| Mean motion | 14.09 |
| Epoch | January 24, 2015, 21:55:19 UTC |
CASSIOPE, or CAScade, Smallsat and IOnospheric Polar Explorer, is a Canadian Space Agency (CSA) multi-mission satellite operated by MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA). The mission is funded through CSA and the Technology Partnerships Canada program. It was launched September 29, 2013, on the first flight of the SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 launch vehicle. CASSIOPE is the first Canadian hybrid satellite to carry a dual mission in the fields of telecommunications and scientific research. The main objectives are to gather information to better understand the science of space weather, while verifying high-speed communications concepts through the use of advanced space technologies.
The satellite was deployed in an ellipticalpolar orbit and carries a commercial communications system called Cascade as well as a scientific experiment package called e-POP (enhanced Polar Outflow Probe).
Following staging, the Falcon 9's first stage was used by SpaceX for a controlled descent and landing test. While the first stage was destroyed on impact with the ocean, significant data was acquired and the test was considered a success.
CASSIOPE is a 500 kg (1,100 lb) small satellite that is 180 cm (5.9 ft) long and 125 cm (4.10 ft) high. It combines the function of two distinct missions in order to be more cost-effective and reduce risk.
The spacecraft carries a primary payload of two instrument suites: the Cascade commercial communications system and a scientific payload named e-POP.
The commercial payload, named Cascade, is a technology demonstrator courier in the sky, aimed a providing a proof of concept for a digital broadband courier service for commercial use. Built by MDA, the operational concept is to receive very large data files as the satellite orbits the globe, store them onboard temporarily, then deliver them at a later time to nearly any destination worldwide.
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