Michael A. Savell.
|
|
John Vasquez of the Naval Research
Laboratory prepares Starshine 1 for
vibration test. Photo by Michael A. Savell. |
|
Click Here: Project Description
Starshine 4/5 Bulletin - July 14, 2002
|
|
We have some very bad news to report. Our Starshine 4 and 5 satellites have been removed from the Space Shuttle STS-114 mission to make room for a control moment gyro that is needed to replace one that recently failed on the International Space Station. The next opportunity to fly our Starshine satellites on a Space Shuttle mission might not occur until 2005 or later. NASA Headquarters is trying to find a ride for our satellites on an expendable launch vehicle before then, but the situation is not at all clear at this time. We will post a report on this web site just as soon as we have some news for you.
In the meantime, we will continue to assemble Starshine 4, mount your mirrors on it, install the Starshine 5 subsatellite inside it, and vibration test the conbination, in hopes that NASA will be able to find us a flight opportunity of some kind. Here are images of some recently completed Starshine 4/5 hardware. The first image shows Skip Dopp of the Bridgerland Applied Technology Center and Gil Moore with Starshine 4's structural shell, and the second image shows Walter Holemans of Planetary Sytems Corporation and Gil Moore with Starshine 5 and its ejection system. Both these pictures were obviously taken during happier times. |
|
Return to Project Starshine Home Page
Last Updated: July 14, 2002