NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NanoSail-D/PRESat Update

NASA's NanoSail-D and PRESat missions ended on Aug. 2, 2008, about two minutes after launch, when the SpaceX Falcon 1 launch vehicle experienced a problem during stage separation and was unable to achieve an Earth orbit.

Although we were not able to test our payloads in space, NASA mission managers and payload engineers achieved success in these two low-cost missions by rapidly pulling together expertise from across the agency to develop, build and ground-test an innovative solar sail nanosatellite and a fundamental space biology micro-laboratory. The communications team also successfully established a fully operational South Pacific Ground Communication System using two ground stations, which were transported and installed at Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands and at the Universidad Centroamericana in El Salvador. This mission provided an excellent opportunity for collaboration between two NASA centers, other government agencies, academia and the burgeoning space industry. Through the development of NanoSail-D and PRESat, NASA gained experience and knowledge it can apply to future small and nanosatellite missions.