USC Nano-Satellite Blasts Off From Cape Canaveral on SpaceX Launch

USC-Northrop Grumman-Applied Minds CAERUS package in 90-minute orbit, testing communications unit

December 09, 2010 - All systems were go -- and went perfectly -- December 8 at Cape Canaveral, with the newly developed Falcon 9 heavy lift vehicle sending into earth orbit NASA's Dragon capsule, accompanied by a number of nanosatellites including a unit developed by the Space Engineering Research Center. SERC is a joint effort between ASTE and ISI, providing critical support to both student involvement and the very fast timeline to develop the spacecraft as well as a mobile ground station equipped with a 3-meter tracking dish.

The nanosatellite, a 3U cubesat called "MAYFLOWER", is a Next Generation Technology Nanosatellite that is a joint effort with Northrop Grumman NOVAWORKS division. USC provided a 1U unit, called CAERUS (the Greek word for "opportunity") to support communications. Its development at USC was originated and led by ISI’s David Barnhart, with him, his colleague Tim Barrett, and their team working with Northrop Grumman NOVAWORKS division and SERC researchers and students (led by Professors Joseph Kunc and Dan Erwin) to add a compact and robust communication package to the entire 3U nanosatellite bus. Some parts of CAERUS were supplied by Pumpkin Inc., the renowned Cubesat developer. The nanosatellite is orbiting around the earth about every 90 minutes at an altitude of more than 300 kilometers. (Details on the project and its current orbit can be found at http://serc.usc.edu/projects/caerus .)

Barrett, technical specialist Jeff Sachs, and a team of students from ASTE and other departments at USC led by Will Bezouska and Michael Aherne delivered CAERUS in May 2010 just fourteen weeks after receiving authorization to proceed on the project.

This was only the 2nd flight of Space X's Falcon 9 vehicle, with the first launch of the company’s "Dragon" man-rated reusable capsule. This was the very first commercial flight of a recoverable capsule demonstrating the ability to carry astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), truly a breakthrough for the private space industry in the United States.

"Indeed, it's a good day for USC," said Joseph Sullivan, Assistant Director at Information Sciences Institute. "It is amazing what can be accomplished in hands-on programs with students with a passion for space" said Joseph Kunc, the Faculty Advisor to the students.

The USC team will go back into space in 2011 with a different satellite project, this time a 3U CubeSat called AENEAS.