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Red-Eye 1, 2, 3 (Pinot, Merlot, Cabernet)
Red-Eye 2 [NASA]
RED-EYE is a DARPA program to develop and demonstrate technologies which increase the utility of low-cost microsatellites.
RED-EYE is a proprietary investigation that develops and demonstrates technologies that increase the utility of low-cost microsatellites. RED-EYE demonstrates lightweight, low-power, gimballed inter-satellite communications links appropriate for the approximately 100 kg class satellites. RED-EYE also demonstrates new attitude control components, onboard processors, software-defined radios and telescope technology.
Because the satellites were launched from the ISS, they could not be equipped with propulsion. The Millennium Space System team developed a form of aerodynamic drag modulation to control the constellation’s orbital spacing.
Red-Eye 1 (Pinot) was launched as an internal payload on the Dragon CRS-17 mission to the ISS, where it was deployed via the JEM airlock using the NanoRacks Kaber deployer on 27 June 2019.
Red-Eye 2 (Merlot) was launched onboard of Cygnus CRS-13 to the ISS. It was deployed on 17 June 2020.
Red-Eye 3 (Cabernet) was released from the ISS later in June 2020.
| Nation: | USA |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Experimental |
| Operator: | DARPA |
| Contractors: | Millennium Space Systems |
| Equipment: | ? |
| Configuration: | Altair-E1 bus |
| Propulsion: | ? |
| Power: | Solar arrays, batteries |
| Lifetime: | |
| Mass: | 70 kg |
| Orbit: | 407 km × 418 km, 51.6° (#1); 417 km × 419 km, 51.65°(#2); 416 km × 419 km, 51.65° (#3) |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red-Eye 1 (Pinot) | 1998-067QJ | 04.05.2019 | CC SLC-40 | Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) | with Dragon CRS-17, OCO 3, STP-H6 | |
| Red-Eye 2 (Merlot) | 1998-067RM | 15.02.2020 | WI LC-0A | Antares-230+ | with Cygnus CRS-13, Red-Eye 3, DeMI, TechEdSat 10 | |
| Red-Eye 3 (Cabernet) | 1998-067RN | 15.02.2020 | WI LC-0A | Antares-230+ | with Cygnus CRS-13, Red-Eye 2, DeMI, TechEdSat 10 |
References:
- NASA: RED-EYE
- Via Satellite: Millennium Space Systems Reveals Previously Undisclosed DARPA Red-Eye Mission
