Launcher’s Orbiter SN-1 delivery spacecraft has failed in orbit, according to the California based rocket developer.
Its orbital transfer spacecraft/tug was launched on 3 January aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-6 rideshare flight. The rocket successfully released the satellite, which powered up and managed to communicate with the ground.
However, due to a suspected orientation issue resulting from a GPS receiver antenna fault, the Orbiter SN-1 spacecraft quickly ran out of power once its battery power storage system was depleted of charge. The orientation issue apparently prevented the solar arrays being continuously directed at the sun, which meant the battery could not be charged. Consequently, the satellites carried aboard the Orbiter SN-1 delivery spacecraft could not be separated and were lost.
It is thought that the satellites that were lost included Unicorn-2G and Unicorn-2H, MDQSA-1A and 1B, PROVES-Yearling, Sapling-1.
Computer model of Orbiter SN-1 delivery spacecraft. Courtesy: Launcher
