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NACHOS [LANL]
NACHOS (Nano-satellite Atmospheric Chemistry Hyperspectral Observation System) is an experimental 3U CubeSats designed by LANL for high-resolution hyperspectral imaging of trace gases.
The satellites consist of a LANL built Prometheus Block-2 1.5U CubeSat featuring the attached 1.5U NACHOS experiment module. Power and communications are handled via the Prometheus bus.
NACHOS is a technology demonstration of an ultra-compact, high-resolution, hyperspectral imager that is able to monitor fossil fuel burning and low-level passive degassing at volcanoes. If successful, it will be a paradigm shift in space-borne sensingfrom expensive single-platform, large-satellite instruments, to agile constellations of relatively inexpensive instruments on small satellites.
The satellites have a unusual high mass for a 3U Cubesat due to 2 kg ballast to increase the orbital life time.
NACHOS 1 was launched in February 2022 on the Cygnus CRS-17 cargo craft. It will be deployed from Cygnus after departing the ISS.
The qualification model will be launched under the DoD Space Test Program on a NACHOS 2 on a LauncherOne in 2022.
| Nation: | USA |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Technology |
| Operator: | Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) |
| Contractors: | Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) |
| Equipment: | |
| Configuration: | CubeSat (3U) |
| Propulsion: | None |
| Power: | 4 deployable fixed solar arrays, batteries |
| Lifetime: | 3-5 years |
| Mass: | 6.25 kg |
| Orbit: |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NACHOS 1 | 2022-015D | 19.02.2022 | WI LC-0A | Antares-230+ | with Cygnus CRS-17, KITSUNE, IHI-Sat | |
| NACHOS 2 | 2022-074B | 02.07.2022 | Mo RW12/30 | LauncherOne | with Recurve, Slingshot 1, Gunsmoke-L 1, MISR-B 1, CTIM-FD, GPX 2 |
Launch Sites:
- Mo = Mojave Air and Space Port, Mojave, California, USA
- WI = Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia, USA
