Comments on: Cubesats to the planets! https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/cubesats-to-the-planets/ Thu, 07 Jul 2016 13:06:28 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Localfluff https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/cubesats-to-the-planets/#comment-911364 Thu, 07 Jul 2016 13:06:28 +0000 http://behindtheblack.com/?p=40234#comment-911364 23,000 cube sats in a swarm would be a mess. A single 23,000 kg heavy large satellite would certainly be more rational. The problem with cubesats as secondary payload is that they can’t get to where they would want to be. Still fine for many applications, but dedicated launches á la Pooley’s microlauncher idea would be great. As long as small sats depend on large launchers, their potential is not fully realized. Light sails will maybe solve that problem. Hayabusa 2, not mentioned in the article, is on its way and will use a whole set of daughter probes, hopping rovers, explosives, cameras, navigation beacons you name it. It’s a whole little army.
Animation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kyyfYbGYnE

]]> By: Alex https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/cubesats-to-the-planets/#comment-911325 Thu, 07 Jul 2016 11:13:55 +0000 http://behindtheblack.com/?p=40234#comment-911325 Charles Pooley (R.I.P.), a forerunner for another kind of space exploration.

Forget his microlaunchers idea, but recognize his “The case for a New Generation of Very Small”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtTeG_HElNk

]]> By: Blair Ivey https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/cubesats-to-the-planets/#comment-911227 Thu, 07 Jul 2016 06:46:02 +0000 http://behindtheblack.com/?p=40234#comment-911227 I have to wonder how many cubesats a Shuttle could have boosted. With some 23,000 kg in payload launch capability, my guess would be ‘quite a lot’.

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