RAPSat 1A, 1B, 1C

RAPSat-1 (Rapid Agile Production of ThinSats) is a technology demonstration mission by NearSpace Launch (NSL) in partnership with the U.S. RAPSat program. The mission comprises three ThinSat spacecraft, RAPSat-1A, RAPSat-1B and RAPSat-1C, intended to demonstrate the RAPSat platform and its rapid-production approach in orbit.

RAPSat-1A and RAPSat-1C each have a mass of 3.2 kg, while RAPSat-1B has a mass of 3.9 kg. The three spacecraft are stowed in a volume equivalent to a 6U CubeSat during launch. The spacecraft are designed for an operational lifetime of approximately two years, with atmospheric drag expected to cause reentry within five years after launch.

The payloads consist of technology experiments. RAPSat-1A and RAPSat-1C each carry a connector sealing test, a RadStar radiation detector and eight NSCAP solar-cell coupons for direct comparison of solar-cell performance. RAPSat-1B carries a connector sealing test, two RadStar radiation detectors and four zero-volt test batteries. The latter are experimental batteries designed to withstand discharge to zero volts and are not used to supply power to the spacecraft bus.

The three spacecraft were launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard the Falcon 9 as part of theTransporter-3 rideshare mission into a Sun-synchronous orbit. Each spacecraft deploys its solar panels after separation. Communications with the spacecraft began about 45 minutes after deployment.