Table 2 summarizes the design values of the four Microsats and the performance obtained to date in space or the measured parameter just before launch (as appropriate).In summary, the four spacecraft and the Microsat design exceeded, in almost every area, our expectations at the time the project was conceived. We have once again proven that sound design is more important than "high-rel." parts and that KISS is more important than redundancy. Most importantly, we have shown the way to a new wave in space technology. Microsat is the army ant adaptation to space as opposed to the elephant adaptation. Many Microsats in a low Earth orbiting network would provide an incredibly powerful communications network and a catastrophic failure of one satellite means very little to the rest of the swarm which continue to carry out their duties. Mass production of anything makes the product more reliable and cheaper. Microsat lends itself perfectly to this concept. Finally, a nine inch cube can do an amazing amount of work in space. They even have the communications capacity to serve omni-directional and even hand held user terminals on the ground as AMSAT has demonstrated. Spacecraft of even a smaller size than ours, carrying out specialized function are entirely possible and practical today. They will be more so in the future. AMSAT has shown that small organizations can do significant work in space and that there is room for universities and non-profit organizations to participate directly in the development of their own spacecraft.
展开▼
