WARP-01, nicknamed Nichirin, was a 1U-sized CubeSat developed and operated by Warpspace, a newspace company based in Tsukuba, Japan. It was launched on 20 February 2021 on board a Cygnus cargo spacecraft, and deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on 14 March 2021.[1][2] WARP-01 was used for technology validation and monitoring the radio wave and radiation environment in space.[3]

WARP-01
Mission typeTechnology demonstration
OperatorWarpspace
COSPAR ID1998-067SA Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.47924Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeCubeSat
Start of mission
Launch date20 February 2021, 17:36:50 UTC
RocketAntares 230+
Launch siteMARS, Pad 0A
Deployed fromISS Kibō
Delivered by Cygnus NG-15
Deployment date14 March 2021
End of mission
Decay date1 May 2022
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Inclination51.6°
 

Overview edit

WARP-01 was Warpspace's first satellite. The company signed a contract to deploy a satellite from the ISS's Kibo Module with Space BD on 24 August 2018.[4] Inside the satellite were several wedding memorial plaques, which were sent to space as part of a 'space bridal service'.[5] At the time the service was first announced in July 2018,[6][7] media reports said that astronauts staying on the ISS were to take photographs of the satellite during its deployment.[8] WARP-01 was unveiled during an event in Tsukuba city in February 2020.[9] WARP-01 was launched and carried to space on board Cygnus NG-15. WARP-01 tested a radiation sensor, which was used to monitor the radiation environment in low Earth orbit.[5]

WARP-01 decayed from orbit on 1 May 2022.[10]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "アメリカの宇宙船で打ち上げられた日本の超小型衛星とは?". 宇宙(そら)へのポータルサイトsorae.jp (in Japanese). February 24, 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  2. ^ "筑波大ベンチャー、超小型衛星で存在感…ISSから放出成功・本田圭佑さんファンドから4億調達". The Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). June 2, 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  3. ^ "超小型衛星、「宇宙の街」発信 筑波大発ベンチャー". Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). March 29, 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  4. ^ "Space BD Wins First Contract after being selected as a commercial service provider※ for small satellite deployment from the "Kibo" Module|Space BD" (Press release). Space BD. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  5. ^ a b "WARP-01 (en)". Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  6. ^ Ooba, Ai (August 12, 2018). "筑波大ベンチャー 結婚記念プレート 宇宙に届ける事業". The Mainichi Newspapers (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  7. ^ "独自人工衛星で記念プレート放出する宇宙ブライダル事業が発足". 宇宙(そら)へのポータルサイトsorae.jp (in Japanese). July 18, 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-01-15. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  8. ^ Allen, Kerry (July 25, 2018). "Japanese firm to launch wedding plaques into space". BBC. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  9. ^ "WARP-01 FM機お披露目決定" (in Japanese). January 23, 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  10. ^ "WARP-01". N2YO.com. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

External links edit