<div dir="ltr"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="610"><tbody><tr><td height="5" colspan="2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="610"><tbody><tr><td height="17" width="465"></td><td height="17" width="145"><div align="right"><div class=""><a class="" href="http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2014/september/spacex_to_launch_spinsat_saturday.htm#"><span class="">s</span></a> <a style="display:inline-block" class="" href="http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2014/september/spacex_to_launch_spinsat_saturday.htm#"></a><a class="" title="View more services" href="http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2014/september/spacex_to_launch_spinsat_saturday.htm#" target="_blank">1</a><a class=""></a> <div class=""></div></div><div align="right">
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</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><div id="story"><h1><img align="right" src="https://scontent-b-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/11320_808046635885524_3805481031978006511_n.jpg?oh=e4771e86bc4bc0ea25fd1968df5fa80d&oe=54C8316E" width="345">SpaceX to launch SpinSat Saturday</h1><p> On Saturday, September 20 at 0616 UT SpaceX plan to launch a Falcon 9 from Florida carrying the satellite <strong>SpinSat</strong> with its amateur radio payload to the ISS <br><br> On arrival at the ISS it will be put into storage until deployment, later in the Fall, from the airlock of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM).<br><br> Developed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) SpinSat is a 56 cm sphere weighing 57 kg that has 12 Electronically-controlled Solid Propellant (ESP) thrusters spread in pairs throughout the surface of the satellite. <br> They will be fired in pairs to spin the spacecraft. With just primary batteries and only 4.8 grams of fuel this phase may last between three to six months.<br><br> The spacecraft will be used to calibrate the space surveillance network. Lasers will be fired at SpinSat from the ground, the light reflected back will be measured to determine where in time and space the satellite is passing overhead. SpinSat will also model the density of the atmosphere.<br><br> The IARU Satellite Coordination Panel report that SpinSat carries a 2 watt RF output AX.25 packet radio store and forward system on 437.230 MHz.<br><br> Read all about SpinSat at <br><a href="http://www.nrl.navy.mil/media/news-releases/2014/with-spinsat-mission-nrl-will-spin-small-satellite-in-space-with-new-thruster-technology" target="_blank">http://www.nrl.navy.mil/media/news-releases/2014/<br> with-spinsat-mission-nrl-will-spin-small-satellite-in-space-with-new-thruster-technology</a><br><br> Falcon 9 launch status<br><a href="http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/013/status.html" target="_blank">http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/013/status.html</a><br><br> NASA - SpinSat<br><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/1019.html" target="_blank">http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/<br> experiments/1019.html</a></p><p>AMSAT-UK <a href="http://amsat-uk.org/" target="_blank">http://amsat-uk.org/</a></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>