R5-S2 and R5-S4 Preliminary On-Orbit Performance

Abstract

The Realizing Rapid, Reduced-cost high-Risk Research (R5) project is a series of CubeSats that are intended to rapidly and affordably enable technology demonstrations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). By accelerating the on orbit demonstration of technologies, it’s hoped that NASA programs and others will be able to infuse them more quickly and affordably. R5 is using an incremental development philosophy, where each spacecraft will feature improved performance over the previous. Each evolution of the spacecraft bus will be suitable for a variety of payloads. While each spacecraft will be built around a primary payload and mission, the intent is to then add on as many secondary payloads and objectives as possible.