PREFIRE – Page 2 – Small Satellite Missions

NASA’s PREFIRE Mission: Small Satellites, Big Science

NASA’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) CubeSats are encapsulated inside Rocket Lab Electron rocket payload fairings on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the company’s facility in New Zealand. The agency’s PREFIRE mission to study heat loss to space in Earth’s polar regions will launch two CubeSats on two different flights aboard Rocket Lab's Electron rockets from the company’s Launch Complex 1 in Māhia, New Zealand. — NASA’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) CubeSats are encapsulated inside Rocket Lab Electron rocket payload fairings on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the company’s facility in New Zealand. The agency’s PREFIRE mission to study heat loss to space in Earth’s polar regions will launch two CubeSats on two different flights aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron rockets from the company’s Launch Complex 1 in Māhia, New Zealand. Photo credit: Rocket Lab

NASA’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission will fly a pair of CubeSat satellites to probe a little-studied portion of the radiant energy emitted by Earth’s polar regions for clues about Arctic warming, sea ice loss, and ice sheet melting.

The Arctic and Antarctica help regulate Earth’s overall temperature by radiating back into space much of the excess energy from the Sun that is absorbed at lower latitudes. Current satellite instruments do not detect all the wavelengths of this energy radiating from polar regions. These CubeSats will fill in the current data gap at far-infrared wavelengths, collecting information that will help scientists diagnose the impact of this outgoing radiation on Earth’s energy balance.

The PREFIRE mission features miniaturized thermal infrared spectrometers on two CubeSat satellites, which are each about the size of a loaf of bread. Once deployed, the CubeSats will settle into a polar orbit to measure far-infrared emissions and how they change throughout the day and over seasons. The observations will allow scientists to assess how changes in thermal infrared emissions at the top of Earth’s atmosphere are related to changes in cloud cover and surface conditions below, such as the amount of sea ice and meltwater on the surface of the ice.

NASA’s PREFIRE mission will fill a gap in our understanding of how much of Earth’s heat is lost to space from the polar regions. By capturing measurements over the poles that can only be gathered from space, PREFIRE will enable researchers to systematically study the planet’s heat emissions in the far-infrared – with 10 times finer wavelength resolution than any previous sensor.

To learn more about the PREFIRE mission, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/prefire/

Live Coverage of NASA’s PREFIRE Launch Now Underway

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket called "PREFIRE and Ice” is vertical on the pad in Mahia, New Zealand ahead of launching the second of two PREFIRE CubeSats for NASA on May 29, 2024. — Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket called “PREFIRE and Ice” is vertical on the pad in Mahia, New Zealand ahead of launching the second of two PREFIRE CubeSats for NASA on May 29, 2024. Photo Credit: Rocket Lab

Live coverage is underway for the second and final launch of NASA’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission. Rocket Lab is targeting Saturday, June 1, 3:13 p.m. NZST (11:13 p.m. EDT Friday, May 31). for the launch of “PREFIRE and Ice,” which will send the agency’s CubeSat to low Earth orbit.

Watch Rocket Lab’s launch broadcast on the company’s website.

NASA’s Second PREFIRE Mission: Weather 70% Favorable for Launch

Weather officials with Rocket Lab predict a 70% chance of favorable weather for launch of NASA’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission.

The launch team is monitoring the space weather as there has been a coronal mass ejection partially directed toward Earth that may induce a geomagnetic storm, though predictions are that the space weather conditions will be within the acceptable range for launch.

Continue checking NASA’s small satellite missions blog for updates or watch live coverage on Rocket Lab’s livestream. You can stay connected with the mission on social media.

X: @NASA_LSP, @NASAEarth, @NASAKennedy, @NASA, @RocketLab, @NASAJPL
Facebook: NASA, NASA LSP, @NASAJPL, RocketLabUSA
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAEarth, @NASAJPL, @RocketLabUSA

NASA’s New Climate Mission to Launch Second Satellite

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket called “Ready, Aim, PREFIRE” is vertical on the pad in Mahia, New Zealand ahead of launching the first of two PREFIRE CubeSats on May 25, 2024. — Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket called “PREFIRE and Ice” is vertical on the pad in Mahia, New Zealand ahead of launching the second of two PREFIRE CubeSats for NASA on May 29, 2024. Photo Credit: Rocket Lab

Launch day is here for NASA’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission.

After the first PREFIRE CubeSat launched from Launch Complex 1 in Māhia, New Zealand on May 25, a second satellite about the size of a shoebox waits on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket for liftoff on the mission’s second and final launch.

The launch, named “PREFIRE and Ice” by Rocket Lab, is targeted for Saturday, June 1, at 3:13 p.m. NZST (11:13 p.m. EDT Friday, May 31).

After this second launch and deployment, the two PREFIRE CubeSats will spend the next 10 months operating in asynchronous, near-polar orbits, and help to close a gap in our understanding of how much of Earth’s heat is lost to space from the Arctic and Antarctica. Analysis of PREFIRE measurements will inform climate and ice models, providing better projections of how a warming world will affect sea ice loss, ice sheet melt, and sea level rise.

NASA jointly developed PREFIRE with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California manages the mission for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and provided the instruments. Blue Canyon Technologies built the CubeSats, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison will process the collected data.

NASA’s Launch Services Program, based out of the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, selected Rocket Lab to launch both spacecraft as part of the agency’s VADR (Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare) contract.

Follow launch updates on NASA’s small satellite missions blog and stay connected with the mission on social media. Tune in to Rocket Lab’s live launch coverage at https://www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream.

X: @NASA_LSP, @NASAEarth, @NASAKennedy, @NASA, @RocketLab, @NASAJPL
Facebook: NASA, NASA LSP, @NASAJPL, RocketLabUSA
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAEarth, @NASAJPL, @RocketLabUSA

Launch Set for NASA’s Second PREFIRE Climate Mission

The first of two launches of NASA’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission lifted off on Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1 at Māhia, New Zealand at 7:41 p.m. NZST Saturday, May 25 (3:41 a.m. EDT). Photo Credit: Rocket Lab

NASA and Rocket Lab are targeting Saturday, June 1, to launch the second CubeSat for the agency’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission. The launch window opens at 3 p.m. NZST, (11 p.m. EDT, Friday, May 31).

The first satellite successfully launched on 7:41 p.m. NZST May 25 (3:41 a.m. EDT) on an Electron rocket, called “Ready, Aim, PREFIRE,” from Launch Complex 1 in Māhia, New Zealand. Rocket Lab is now processing the second Electron rocket, called “PREFIRE and Ice,” for launch also from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.

These small PREFIRE satellites will fill a gap in our understanding of how much of Earth’s heat is lost to space from the polar regions. The mission will enable researchers to systematically study the planet’s heat emissions in the far-infrared – with 10 times finer wavelength resolution than any previous sensor, and provide clues about sea ice loss, icesheet melting, and a warming Arctic.

NASA and the University of Wisconsin-Madison jointly developed the PREFIRE mission. The agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, located in Southern California, manages the mission for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and provided the spectrometers. Blue Canyon Technologies built the CubeSats, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison will process the collected data.

NASA’s Launch Services Program selected Rocket Lab to launch both spacecraft as part of the agency’s VADR (Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare) contract. CubeSats like PREFIRE serve as an ideal platform for technical and architecture innovation, contributing to NASA’s science research and technology development.

Follow mission updates on NASA’s small satellite blog and stay connected with the mission on social media.

X: @NASA_LSP, @NASAEarth, @NASAKennedy, @NASA, @RocketLab, @NASAJPL
Facebook: NASA, NASA LSP, @NASAJPL, RocketLabUSA
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAEarth, @NASAJPL, @RocketLabUSA

NASA’s PREFIRE Payload Has Deployed

NASA’s PREFIRE CubeSat has deployed from the Rocket Lab’s Electron kick stage. The team will seek signal acquisition from the PREFIRE CubeSat and provide confirmation on the agency website when a signal is acquired. This concludes NASA’s live launch coverage of the mission.

NASA’s PREFIRE mission will help close a gap in our understanding of how much of Earth’s heat is lost to space from the Arctic and Antarctica. Analysis of PREFIRE measurements will inform climate and ice models, providing better projections of how a warming world will affect sea ice loss, ice sheet melt, and sea level rise.

Each PREFIRE satellite is fitted with an instrument called a thermal infrared spectrometer. The instrument contains specially-shaped mirrors and detectors for splitting and measuring infrared light and will make its readings using a device called a thermocouple, similar to sensors found in household thermostats. PREFIRE’s objectives are to supply scientists with new data on a range of climate variables, including atmospheric temperature, surface properties, water vapor, and clouds.

NASA’s Launch Services Program, based out of the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, manages the launch service as part of the agency’s VADR (Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare) launch services contract.

Follow NASA’s small satellite missions blog for updates on the second PREFIRE launch called PREFIRE and ICE. For more information on the Earth Science mission, visit https://science.jpl.nasa.gov/projects/prefire/.

Liftoff for ‘Ready, Aim, PREFIRE!’

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 1 at Māhia, New Zealand at 7:41 p.m. NZST Saturday, May 25 (3:41 a.m. EDT), on the first of two launches of NASA’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission.

Rocket Lab’s Electron Rocket Go for Launch!

Rocket Lab’s “Ready, Aim, PREFIRE” – the first of two launches of NASA’s PREFIRE mission – is just minutes away from launch. After holding at T-12 for several minutes the countdown has resumed.

The CubeSat is set to launch from Launch Complex 1 at Māhia, New Zealand, aboard the company’s Electron rocket, which is a reusable, vertically launched, two-stage rocket that uses liquid oxygen and kerosene as propellants. Propellant loading has begun, and the mission team has called out “go for launch.” The rocket should launch in about five minutes.

Each Electron rocket is around 60 feet (18 meters) tall, with an exterior made of a carbon fiber composite, and can carry payloads weighing up to about 700 pounds (320 kilograms). Each Electron rocket uses nine Rutherford sea-level engines on its first stage, and a single Rutherford vacuum engine on its second stage. These 3D-printed engines use an electric turbopump powered by batteries to deliver propellants and fuel to the engines. A payload fairing protects the spacecraft or satellite as the rocket climbs through the atmosphere. An extra stage, called a kick stage, powered by a single Curie engine, will circularize the orbits of the PREFIRE CubeSats.

Previous NASA missions that launched on an Electron rocket include NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System, TROPICS (Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats), Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE), and multiple Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) missions.

Some of the launch team members are located within Rocket Lab’s private range control facilities at Launch Complex 1, located on the North Island of New Zealand. From the launch site it is possible to reach orbital inclinations from sun-synchronous through to 30 degrees, enabling versatility for missions to low Earth orbit. The bulk of the Electron operators, as well as NASA’s Launch Services Program team and spacecraft customer team will be on console at the Auckland Production Complex.

Mission Facts About NASA’s PREFIRE

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket named “Ready, Aim, PREFIRE” is ready for launch from Mahia, New Zealand on May 25, 2024. Photo Credit: Rocket Lab

This is the first of two launches on Rocket Lab Electron rockets to deploy NASA’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission.

Rocket Lab has named today’s launch “Ready, Aim, PREFIRE.” The second PREFIRE launch of a second identical CubeSat is named “PREFIRE and Ice” and will launch within three weeks.

Both PREFIRE CubeSats are scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in Māhia, New Zealand.

The PREFIRE satellites are identical in size – 6U CubeSats. The standard CubeSat size – “one unit” or “1U” – measures about four inches cubed and is extendable to larger sizes like the 6U PREFIRE.

The mission is tasked with measuring heat loss from both the Arctic and Antarctica. When in space, both PREFIRE satellites will be in near-polar orbits and provide multiple observations of Arctic and Antarctic surfaces and clouds each day, helping researchers better understand Earth’s energy budget.

Once operating, PREFIRE will make the first full spectral measurements of far infrared radiation, revealing the full spectrum of Arctic radiant energy and quantifying spatial and temporal variability in spectral FIR emission and the atmospheric greenhouse effect.

NASA’s Launch Services Program at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida manages the launch service. The mission’s principal investigator is Tristan L’Ecuyer from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the mission’s project scientist is Brian Drouin of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) provides a broad range of FAA-licensed commercial launch services capable of delivering payloads including CubeSats and Class D missions that can tolerate relatively high risk to a variety of orbits.

NASA’s PREFIRE Mission: Launch Broadcast Now Underway

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket called “Ready, Aim, PREFIRE” is on the launch pad on May 25, 2024 with the first CubeSat ready to lift off from the company’s facility in Mahia, New Zealand. Photo Credit: Rocket Lab

Live coverage is underway for the first of two launches of NASA’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission. Rocket Lab is targeting 7:28 p.m. NZST (3:28 a.m. EDT Saturday, May 25) for “Ready, Aim, PREFIRE,” the launch of the company’s Electron rocket that will send the CubeSat to low Earth orbit.

Watch Rocket Lab’s launch broadcast on the company’s website.