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TacSat-2 Difficulties Are Resolved, Satellite Performs Well

By Staff Writer | February 26, 2007

      The TacSat-2 spacecraft is operating well now after initial difficulties were resolved.

      In the first few days of flight, there were difficulties that the program team resolved rapidly.

      Orbiting approximately 255 miles above the Earth at a 40-degree inclination, the 814-pound TacSat-2 spacecraft serves as the Department of Defense inaugural experiment for future satellites that could be used for rapid reconstitution of lost space capabilities, or to augment existing systems.

      Some military analysts say the United States must attain the ability to replace lost satellites swiftly, after China proved in an experiment its ability to destroy spacecraft by hitting them with interceptors. China destroyed one of its own old weather satellites.

      As well, China “painted” a U.S. military satellite with a laser aimed from the ground.

      That Tac-Sat-2 experiment is exploring radical new concepts for responsive spacecraft production, launch, and operation. The micro satellite already met several mission objectives since its launch two months ago, after some initial challenges.

      Two brief setbacks, an incompatible radio configuration with the ground station and an error in the Attitude Determination and Control System, have long since been corrected and TacSat-2 remains on course to complete a six to 12-month voyage.