Kentucky Space Blog

Blue Grass Space, pioneering program

Space News published a piece on Kentucky Space, pointing out the growth the program is experiencing.

Since it was founded in 2006, Kentucky Space has been working to carve a niche for itself as a leader in the development of CubeSats, the miniature satellites that measure 10 centimeters on all sides and weigh 1 kilogram or less. 'We have been building up capacity and the intellectual infrastructure to be able to design, develop and operate small, entrepreneurial, high-value spacecraft,' said Kris Kimel, Kentucky Space founder and chairman.

Wayne

Jul 29, 2010

NASA video of NanoRacks install

NASA has issued a release about the installation of the first NanoRacks Platform, "Commercial Facility Activated on U.S. National Laboratory onboard International Space Station," pointing out, among other things, that the achievement went from "concept to on-orbit capability in less than 10 months."

Video of the install can be viewed here.

Wayne

Jul 29, 2010

Pic: Flight model, KySat-1

Here is an image of the integrated flight model of KySat-1 taken just prior to last week's formal mission readiness review.

For blog readers looking at this post in their reader, many more Kentucky Space images may be found on the left side of the web site.

Wayne

Jul 26, 2010

Downloading first data from NanoRacks

University of Kentucky professor Jim Lumpp describes Friday's first download from the recently installed NanoRacks Platform on the space station. Have a listen.

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At right are pictures of the first rack and the first two CubeLabs just prior to being stowed on Shuttle Discovery for an April trip to orbit.

Wayne

Jul 21, 2010

Powering up NanoRacks: "Seeing that little LED very exciting"

In this brief audio clip, University of Kentucky professor Jim Lumpp describes the recent installation and powering up of the first NanoRacks Platform on the International Space Station.

The morning began very early for the support team in Kentucky, who were at the CubeLab ground ops consoles (some seen here) shortly after 3 am EDT on July 12 to monitor the live communications feed from NASA, and to respond to any questions from the crew on board the ISS.

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Each NanoRack can host up to sixteen individual "CubeLabs," plug and play micro-laboratories based on the CubeSat form factor. Kentucky Space and its strategic partner, NanoRacks, are currently working with customers needing to do repeatable, reasonably priced micro-G research.

NASA should soon release video of the installation by astronaut Shannon Walker, who flew from Baikonur Cosmodrome to the station as a flight engineer for Expedition 24/25.

Audio from Dr. Lumpp describing the first data download from a CubeLab is coming as well.

Wayne

Jul 20, 2010