任务档案 · MISSION

Return to Sender (拼车任务)

火箭实验室 (Rocket Lab) · 电子号 (Electron) · 火箭实验室 1A 号发射工位

成功

任务成功

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任务简介

"Return to Sender"任务将为多个客户将30颗卫星送入500公里高度的太阳同步轨道，这些客户包括TriSept、Unseenlabs、Swarm、Te Pūnaha Ātea - 奥克兰太空研究所以及全球游戏软件公司Valve。这些卫星涵盖多种用途，从TriSept用于加速航天器再入和减少轨道碎片的新型系绳系统技术演示，到Unseenlabs的下一代海上监视卫星，以及Swarm的通信卫星。该任务还将部署新西兰首颗由学生建造的卫星——为奥克兰大学的Te Pūnaha Ātea - 奥克兰太空研究所研制的APSS-1卫星。 DRAGRACER任务将测试旨在加速航天器再入和减少轨道碎片的新型系绳技术的有效性。TriSept已完成一对合格的Millennium Space Systems 6U小卫星的集成，其中一颗配备系绳拖曳装置，另一颗没有。受控航天器应在约45天内脱轨，而第二颗航天器预计将在轨道上停留7至9年。 BRO-2和BRO-3是法国公司Unseenlabs计划中约20颗卫星星座的第二和第三颗卫星，专门用于海上监视。 Swarm将发射最新的24颗1/4U SpaceBEE卫星，以继续建设其计划中的150颗卫星星座，为全球偏远地区的物联网设备提供负担得起的卫星通信服务。由学生建造的Waka Āmiorangi Aotearoa APSS-1卫星旨在监测地球高层大气的电活动，以测试电离层扰动是否能预测地震。本次飞行的额外载荷是一个150毫米的3D打印半条命Gnome Chompski。由设计工作室Weta Workshop为Valve Software联合创始人Gabe Newell制作，它是对全球玩家创新和创造力的致敬，同时也旨在测试和验证一种可用于未来航天器部件的新型3D打印技术。Gnome将保持在Kick Stage上，并在再入时烧毁。除了载荷，本次飞行还将测试Electron的可重复使用性。火箭实验室将尝试将Electron的第一级通过降落伞系统带回地球，进行受控水上降落，然后由回收船收集。

原文

↗ Return to Sender

"Return to Sender" will loft 30 satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit at 500 km altitude for a range of customers, including TriSept, Unseenlabs, Swarm, Te Pūnaha Ātea - Auckland Space Institute, and global gaming software company Valve. The satellites span a range of operations, from TriSept’s tech demonstration of new tether systems designed to accelerate spacecraft reentry and reduce orbital debris, through to the next generation of maritime surveillance satellites for Unseenlabs, as well as communications satellites for Swarm. The mission will also deploy New Zealand’s first student-built satellite, the APSS-1 satellite for Te Pūnaha Ātea - Auckland Space Institute at The University of Auckland. The DRAGRACER mission will test the effectiveness of new tether technologies designed to accelerate spacecraft reentry and reduce orbital debris at the conclusion of space missions. TriSept has completed the integration of a pair of qualified Millennium Space Systems 6U small satellites, one featuring the tether drag device and one without. The controlled spacecraft should deorbit in approximately 45 days, while the second spacecraft is expected to remain in orbit for seven to nine years. BRO-2 and BRO-3 are the second and third satellites in French company Unseenlabs’ planned constellation of about 20 satellites dedicated to maritime surveillance. Swarm will launch the latest 24 1/4U SpaceBEE satellites to continue building out its planned constellation of 150 satellites to provide affordable satellite communications services to IoT devices in remote regions around the world. The student-built Waka Āmiorangi Aotearoa APSS-1 satellite is designed to monitor electrical activity in Earth’s upper atmosphere to test whether ionospheric disturbances can predict earthquakes. Extra payload on this flight is a 150 mm 3D printed Half-Life Gnome Chompski. Created for Valve Software's co-founder Gabe Newell by design studio Weta Workshop, it serves as an homage to the innovation and creativity of gamers worldwide, and also aims to test and qualify a novel 3D printing technique that could be employed for future spacecraft components. Gnome will remain attached to the Kick Stage and will burn up on reentry. Besides payloads, this flight will also serve as a test of Electron's reusability. Rocket Lab will attempt to bring Electron’s first stage back to Earth under a parachute system for a controlled water landing before collection by a recovery vessel.