NanoACE

NanoACE [Tyvak]

NanoACE is a technology demonstrator by Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc. to validate the Endeavor suite technologies that will be used for future missions and is solely for the purpose of internal Tyvak development as an attitude control experiment.

The technology demonstration will validate the Command and Data Handling (CDH) system, Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC) software and actuators, as well as test visible and IR cameras.

The NanoACE vehicle is a 3U CubeSat with the core of the vehicle being 30 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm with a mass of roughly 5.2 kg. The vehicle uses a total of four deployable solar panels, with each roughly 30 cm × 10 cm in size. The NanoACE payload houses two IR, two visible cameras, and electronics for image processing. The NanoACE cold gas propulsion system utilizes a mature design that was developed by VACCO Industries and tested extensively (70,000+ firings) in a vacuum by the US Air Force Research Lab and traces heritage to DARPA and Aerospace Corp programs.

The NanoACE vehicle will begin operations following the release of the vehicle by the deployer. The NanoACE vehicle will perform general commissioning operations to validate vehicle State-Of-Health (SOH). Following successful commissioning, NanoACE will perform operations to demonstrate 3-axis pointing for various targets and perform basic small impulse propulsive maneuvers to verify performance and orientation.