Flock-1

Flock 1 is a US CubeSat satellite constellation launched on 9 January 2014. The satellite is built in a 3U CubeSat bus, and each constellation consists of 28 satellites. All instruments are powered by solar cells mounted on the spacecraft body, along with triple-folded wings, providing approximately 20 W at maximal power.

Flock-1
ManufacturerPlanet Labs
Country of originUnited States
OperatorPlanet Labs
ApplicationsEarth imaging
Websitewww.planet.com/flock1/
Specifications
Spacecraft type3U CubeSat
Launch mass5 kilograms (11 lb)
Dimensions30 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm
(11.8 in × 3.9 in × 3.9 in)
RegimeLow Earth
Production
StatusIn production
Launched93
Retired31+
Lost26
Maiden launchFlock-1 1-28
9 January 2014
Related spacecraft
Derived fromDove

Launch

Flock 1 constellation was launched from Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Launch Pad 0, US, on 9 January 2014 by an Antares 120 rocket. The satellites were deployed from the ISS from 11 February 2014 to 28 February 2014.[1]

Another Flock start in January 2015 on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle.

Mission

The satellite is intended for commercial Earth observation service. For this purpose, each satellite is equipped with a camera capable of 3-to-5-meter (9.8 to 16.4 ft) ground resolution. Details of intended service by individual satellites were never released publicly and are largely unknown.

gollark: There is no persistent storage which is lost when broken.
gollark: Well, obviously stuff in memory is lost.
gollark: You can break the turtle or something, and t here's no way to get around that.
gollark: You cannot disable Ctrl+R, although you can probably detect it a bit before it forces a reboot.
gollark: ... that makes no sense.

References
  1. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/flock-1.htm


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