ASUSat (AO 37, ASU-OSCAR 37)

ASUSat 1 [ASU]

ASUSat 1 (Arizona State University Satellite) was nanosatellite built and operated by students at the Arizona State University (ASU) to evaluate techniques for low-cost Earth imagery, experimental verification of composite-material models, technology demonstration of low-cost student-designed systems, boards, and sensors, and provision of an audio transponder for amateur radio (AMSAT) operators.

ASUSat project was begun in October 1993. It resulted in a 6-kilogram-class satellite to be launched in a cluster launch on the maiden Air Force Minotaur-1 rocket. The satellite was delivered to Weber State University on 13 May 1999, for final integration with the other payloads on the JAWSAT satellite, which served as the multiple payload structure.

ASUSat1 was launched on 26 January 2000 at 19:03 PST into a 750 km × 800 km, 100° inclination orbit. After reaching orbit, it was also designated ASUSat-OSCAR 37 or AO-37.

Following the successful liftoff, the 6 kg nanosatellite ASUSat1 was the first of five payloads to be deployed from JAWSAT. Approximately 50 minutes after launch, ASUSat1 was the first payload to be received by an amateur radio operator in South Africa. The contact confirmed the successful deployment from the rocket and that the satellite was functioning on orbit.

Unfortunately, the last report received from ASUSat 1 was at fourteen hours into the mission. This reception included a telemetry frame that confirmed that the satellite did indeed have a critical problem in the power system. This problem prevented the solar arrays from supplying power, leaving ASUSAt1 on battery power alone. Predicted lifetime of the satellite on battery power alone was estimated to be fifteen hours. Even though the mission was brief, telemetry from ASUSat 1 indeed indicated that the majority of the student-designed satellite components operated as designed.