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> I was wondering if it really was a good idea to spread so many little things in orbit Something I've been wondering: why are all small cubesats designed as s
by ProblemFactory 10y ago
> I was wondering if it really was a good idea to spread so many little things in orbit
Something I've been wondering: why are all small cubesats designed as stand-alone satellites that are detached from a launcher? Why not instead build one big satellite, with shared solar panels and a deorbit engine, and sell "shelf space" for numerous small scientific modules that remain attached to it?
- StephenSmith 10y agohttps://www.astrobotic.com/ https://www.astrobotic.com/ is doing it for the moon.
- chris_va 10y agoMost of the small sat stuff isn't for science work. Commercial entities want to reorient on demand, manage their own coms and antenna direction, etc. What you describe is a good idea, and how most older sats work (just not modularized).