Mission technologists inspect the interior of NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) deployment module, provided by the Sierra Nevada Corporation, at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. CYGNSS will probe the inner core of hurricanes in greater detail to better understand their rapid intensification. The cylinders visible at the front and back of the interior are the separation “kickoff” spring housings that will propel eight micro-satellites away from the deployment module and into Earth orbit. The micro-satellites will continue environmental testing, including shock and vibration testing, through late summer. Upon completion, the micro-satellites and deployment module will be shipped to Vandenberg Air Force Base for integration with the launch vehicle. The spacecraft are scheduled to launch Nov. 21 aboard an Orbital ATK Pegasus XL launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
Credit: Southwest Research Institute