Satellites¶

Tier Legend¶

Tier	Meaning
⚪	Representative or theoretical spacecraft model; one or more major physical properties or hardware details are assumed.
🔵	Mission hardware configuration is traceable, with approximate or partial mass-property data.
🟣	Blue-tier information plus source-backed inertia or center-of-mass data.
🟡	Source-backed hardware configuration, inertia, center of mass, and mission-specific disturbance/configuration data.

Tier	Model	Factory	Documentation	Source	Timeline	Goal	Configuration
⚪	BeaverCube 1	`create_beavercube1_cubesat`	Factory		Launched 2022-09-06; mission ended 2023-04-12.	Coastal imaging mission using visible and thermal infrared CubeSat data.	3x MTQ, 3x MTM, 3x gyro, 2x SunPair; 3U box GG/drag/SRP.
⚪	BeaverCube 2	`create_beavercube2_cubesat`	Factory		Slated March 2027.	Demonstrate autonomous on-orbit image processing and classification.	3x MTQ, 1x RW, 3x MTM, 3x gyro, 2x SunPair; 3U box GG/drag/SRP.
⚪	BeaverCube 2, 3 MTQ + 3 RW	`create_3_3_beavercube2_cubesat`	Factory		Theoretical study.	BeaverCube 2 variant for full three-wheel control studies.	3x MTQ, 3x RW, 3x MTM, 3x gyro, 2x SunPair; 3U box GG/drag/SRP.
⚪	BRITE-Austria	`create_brite_austria`	Factory	TU Graz	Launched 2013-02-25.	High-precision photometry of bright massive stars.	3x RW, 3x MTQ, 3x gyro, 1x MTM, 6x SunSensor, 1x StarTracker; 20 cm cube GG/drag/SRP.
🟣	LightSail 2	`create_lightsail2`	Factory	doi:10.3390/aerospace10070579	Launched 2019-06-25; reentered 2022-11-17.	Demonstrate controlled solar sailing in Earth orbit using a CubeSat.	1x RW, 3x MTQ, 2x MTM, 6x gyro, 5x SunSensor; 3U bus + 32 m2 sail GG/drag/SRP.
🟣	ESTCube-1	`create_estcube1_cubesat`	Factory	ASCE Library	Launched 2013-05-07; mission ended 2015-02-17.	Demonstrate electric solar wind sail technology from a student CubeSat.	3x MTQ, 6x MTM, 12x gyro, 12x SunSensor; 1U box GG/drag/SRP.
🟣	MOVE-II	`create_moveii_cubesat`	Factory	doi:10.3390/aerospace6120130	Launched 2018-12-03.	Verify a CubeSat bus able to support demanding payloads.	3x MTQ, 18x MTM, 18x gyro, 5x SunSensor; 1U box GG/drag/SRP + residual dipole.
🟣	RAX-1	`create_rax1_cubesat`	Factory	doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2012.02.001	Launched 2010-11-19; ended after about 60 days.	Study small-scale plasma density irregularities in Earth’s ionosphere.	Passive magnetic stabilization, 6x MTM, 3x gyro, 9x SunSensor; 3U box GG/drag/SRP.
🟣	RAX-2	`create_rax2_cubesat`	Factory	doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2014.02.026	Launched 2011-10-28; completed mission 2013-04.	Continue RAX ionospheric FAI science with improved bus performance.	Passive magnetic stabilization, 6x MTM, 3x gyro, 17x SunSensor; 3U box GG/drag/SRP.