LightSat Microsat Constellation
The LightSat Microsat constellation comprised seven compact DARPA communications spacecraft developed to test military service from very small satellites. Each carried UHF relay and limited store-and-forward capabilities, autonomous attitude control, and miniature propulsion, allowing the armed services to evaluate applications such as ship-to-shore messaging.
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Identity
- Aliases
- Microsat 1-7Seven MicrosatsDARPA Microsat constellation
- Name
- LightSat Microsat Constellation
- Slug
- lightsat-microsat-constellation
- Status
- completed
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- The LightSat Microsat constellation comprised seven compact DARPA communications spacecraft developed to test military service from very small satellites. Each carried UHF relay and limited store-and-forward capabilities, autonomous attitude control, and miniature propulsion, allowing the armed services to evaluate applications such as ship-to-shore messaging.
- Launch Site
- Outcome
- All seven Microsats reached orbit, although the Pegasus injection was lower than planned and shortened their expected lifetimes. The orbit remained usable, the constellation demonstrated UHF relay and store-and-forward communications in military exercises, and DARPA subsequently transitioned the system to Naval Space Command.
- Program
- LightSat
- Start Date
- 1991-07-17
- Vehicle Families
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- July 18, 2026 at 17:48:36 UTC
- Updated Time
- July 18, 2026 at 17:48:36 UTC
Other
- Affiliations
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles