Drag and Atmospheric Neutral Density Explorer

DANDE

Operator	University of Colorado at Boulder, Colorado Space Grant Consortium, CU Dept of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, AFRL, STP
Mission type	Demonstration of Concept, Neutral Density
Satellite of	Earth
Orbits	Requesting: Near Polar - 350 km
Launch date	TBD 2011

DANDE (or Drag and Neutral Density Explorer) is a 50 kg class spacecraft developed by the University of Colorado at Boulder was the winner of the 5th iteration of the Air Force Research Laboratory's University Nanosat Program.^[1]

Science

Drag induced by the neutral-atmosphere density is the major perturbation on satellites in low earth orbit. True density deviates as much as 21% from model predictions, introducing error into crucial government and private space operations with applications to situational awareness, space surveillance, laser communications, re-entry prediction, rendezvous and proximity ops. A need exists to measure physical or 'true' density, quantify density variations, and to provide in-situ model calibration data.

The Drag and Atmospheric Neutral Density Explorer (DANDE) will be a low-cost density, wind, and composition-measuring satellite that will provide data for the calibration and validation of operational models and improve our understanding of the thermosphere.

The spacecraft is being designed and built at the Colorado Space Grant Consortium (COSGC) in collaboration with the University of Colorado at Boulder Aerospace Engineering Sciences department, Air Force Space Command - Space Analysis/A9A, and research faculty at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This effort is sponsored by the University Nanosat Program at the Air Force Research Laboratories.

External links

• http://dande.colorado.edu - team homepage

References

1. ^ "CU-Boulder Students Win First Place in National Nanosatellite Competition". University of Colorado at Boulder. 2009-01-22. http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/accfc213b634dbb0f9b8cfe061b15773.html.