Space access for small satellites on rideshare missions with ESPA and ESPA-derived payload adapters

Rideshare reduces launch costs while enabling access to space for the fast-growing small satellite community. Combinations of spacecraft are launched as secondary and tertiary payloads or as co-manifested primary payloads. Payload adapters designed for the launch environment are used to package the...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Maly, J R, Evert, M E, Shepard, J T, Smith, C A
Format: Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Subjects:
Force
Moon
NASA
Payloads
Space vehicles
Online Access:Request full text
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Description
Summary:Rideshare reduces launch costs while enabling access to space for the fast-growing small satellite community. Combinations of spacecraft are launched as secondary and tertiary payloads or as co-manifested primary payloads. Payload adapters designed for the launch environment are used to package the spacecraft on the launch vehicle. This paper reviews a subset of the adapter hardware with flight heritage and some new adapters in development.
ISSN:1095-323X
2996-2358
DOI:10.1109/AERO.2011.5747234