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The STARSHINE (Student Tracked Atmospheric Research Satellite Heuristic International Networking Experiment) series of three (later, a fourth one was also launched) artificial
Starshine project website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Starshine Satellites orbiting Earth Educational projects Laser ranging satellites Amateur radio satellites Satellite series
The STARSHINE (Student Tracked Atmospheric Research Satellite Heuristic International Networking Experiment) series of three (later, a fourth one was also launched) artificial satellite
A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioiso ...
s were student participatory missions sponsored by the United States Naval Research Laboratory
The United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. It was founded in 1923 and conducts basic scientific research, applied research, technological ...
(the fourth STARSHINE was a NASA mission).
Satellite description
STARSHINE-1 was a spherical satellite that was fitted with almost nine hundred small mirrors polished by students from around the world. Once launched, a network of over 20,000 students from eighteen countries tracked the satellite by observing sunlight glinting off the mirrors and networked their observations via the Internet. The students used these observations to calculate air drag, solar activity, and other orbit related properties of the satellite. STARSHINE 2 and 3 had systems added to impart spin to these satellites in an effort to improve the solar-reflected flash rate, as well as a number of laserretroreflector
A retroreflector (sometimes called a retroflector or cataphote) is a device or surface that reflects radiation (usually light) back to its source with minimum scattering. This works at a wide range of angle of incidence, unlike a planar mirror, ...
s to introduce the students to satellite laser ranging
In satellite laser ranging (SLR) a global network of observation stations measures the round trip time of flight of ultrashort pulses of light to satellites equipped with retroreflectors. This provides instantaneous range measurements of milli ...
.
The satellites were constructed largely from spare flight hardware.
In November 2001, the amateur radio payload on Starshine 3 was designated STARSHINE-OSCAR-43, or SO-43.
A further fourth satellite, STARSHINE-4, was launched aboard the maiden flight of Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne
LauncherOne is a two-stage orbital launch vehicle developed and flown by Virgin Orbit that began operational flights in 2021, after being in development from 2007 to 2020. It is an air-launched rocket, designed to carry smallsat payloads o ...
rocket on 25 May 2020. The flight was a failure and the satellite did not reach orbit.
Launches
The STARSHINE launches were considered launches of opportunity; STARSHINE-1 was launched June 5, 1999 from theSpace Shuttle
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program na ...
''Discovery'' on STS-96
STS-96 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) flown by Space Shuttle '' Discovery'', and the first shuttle flight to dock at the International Space Station. The shuttle carried the Spacehab module in the payload, f ...
, Starshine 3 launched on September 29, 2001 as part of the ''Kodiak Star'' Athena I
The Athena I, known as the Lockheed Launch Vehicle (LLV) at the time of its first flight and Lockheed Martin Launch Vehicle (LMLV) at the time of its second flight, was an American small expendable launch system which was used for four launches b ...
mission, and STARSHINE-2 launched December 5, 2001 from the Space Shuttle ''Endeavour'' on STS-108
STS-108 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) flown by Space Shuttle '' Endeavour''. Its primary objective was to deliver supplies to and help maintain the ISS.
STS-108 was the 12th shuttle flight to visit the ...
.
STARSHINE-4 launched onboard LauncherOne rocket on 25 May 2020. The launch vehicle failed five seconds after deployment from the carrier aircraft.
Reentry
Starshine 3 re-entered and burned up in the Earth's upper atmosphere on January 21, 2003. It had made 7434 revolutions around the Earth since its launch.See also
* LAGEOS (Laser Geodynamics Satellites)—a series of scientific research satellites designed to provide an orbiting laser ranging benchmark for geodynamical studies of the Earth *Satellite laser ranging
In satellite laser ranging (SLR) a global network of observation stations measures the round trip time of flight of ultrashort pulses of light to satellites equipped with retroreflectors. This provides instantaneous range measurements of milli ...
References
External sources
Starshine project website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Starshine Satellites orbiting Earth Educational projects Laser ranging satellites Amateur radio satellites Satellite series