LEOStar™-2 Bus
An affordable, versatile, small-to-medium size spacecraft bus suitable for SMEX, MIDEX, ESSP, and
Discovery class missions. Compatible with launch vehicles such as Pegasus®, Minotaur, and Delta.
LEO
Satellite Bus
Orbital’s LEOStar-2 series of spacecraft have supported multiple missions for commercial and
government customers over the past ten years. The current LEOStar-2 product line has an enviable
on-orbit performance record with four on-orbit and three more in production.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
There are eight LEOStar-2 spacecraft
delivered to customers with three
currently in design and production.
Design
Originally designed for the Pegasus XL launch vehicle, Orbital’s LEOStar-2 spacecraft bus provides a
exible, high performance platform for space and earth scientic, remote sensing, and other commercial
applications on a variety of launch vehicles (Pegasus, Minotaur and Delta). The avionics architecture has
been congured for both single-string and redundant applications, supporting missions with durations
up to ten years. LEOStar-2 can accommodate various instrument interfaces, deliver up to 2 kW orbit
average payload power, and support payloads up to 500 kg. Performance options include redundancy,
propulsion capability, high data rate communications, and high-agility/high-accuracy pointing.
Payload Accomodations
The exible LEOStar-2 spacecraft bus has been adapted to a variety of space science, remote sensing,
and technology validation missions. The spacecraft employs a compact avionics suite housed within a
hexagonal bus platform, enabling Orbital to deliver a signicant launch vehicle fairing volume for multiple
instruments. Our modular approach to the spacecraft platform and instrument deck enables parallel
integration and testing, reducing overall delivery schedule. With the LEOStar-2, Orbital has regularly
delivered attitude control better than 15 arc-seconds, with attitude knowledge less than 6 arc-seconds.
Through the inclusion of higher performance actuators, we can achieve greatly improved agility.
LEOStar-2 "Firsts"
• The Dawn planetary spacecraft is
the rst operational application of
electric Ion propulsion, the rst to orbit
a body in the asteroid belt, and the
rst to rendezvous with and orbit two
planetary bodies.
• The GALEX satellite performed the
rst ultraviolet all-sky survey covering
approximately 1 million galaxies.
• The NuSTAR satellite's X-ray
instrument produces images 100
times the sensitivity and 10 times
the resolution of previous X-ray
observatories.
Dulles, Virginia SMF Gilbert, Arizona SMF
LEOStar™-2 Bus
Mission Services
Customers can procure the LEOStar-2 spacecraft bus alone
or as part of a “turn-key” service that includes mission design,
instrument/payload integration, satellite environmental test, launch
services, early orbit checkout, and mission operations, including
instrument data delivery to principal investigators. Orbital has the
end-to-end capability to build, integrate, test, launch and operate
missions.
Production Approach
Using mature designs, proven assembly procedures, and
established vendor sources, the LEOStar-2 bus can be developed
well within 36 months after receipt of order.
Heritage
Currently, Orbital has four LEOStar based satellites on-orbit
and has three in production. First developed for the GeoEye,
OrbView-3, and OrbView-4 commercial high-resolution imagery
system, the LEOStar-2 spacecraft has own in a redundant
conguration for NASA’s SORCE mission, in a selectively
redundant conguration for NASA’s GALEX mission, and in a
single-string conguration for NASA's AIM and NuSTAR missions.
Currently LEOStar-2 programs include the OCO-2, TESS and
ICON spacecraft. Science applications include atmospheric
monitoring, solar irradiance monitoring, and astronomical
exploration. With appropriate modication, we have also adapted
this bus for JPL’s Dawn interplanetary mission, currently en route
to the asteroid Ceres.
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) spacecraft in Orbital's Gilbert,
Arizona satellite manufacturing facility.
Options
• Avionics components, actuators, or sensors to improve system
capability and increase mission reliability and lifetime
• Expanded on-board solid state memory and X-band downlink for
increased payload data storage and high rate data transfer
• Hydrazine propulsion capability to enable orbit maneuvers and
increase mission lifetime
• Spacecraft operations and data delivery
Additional Features
• Modular Design – Flexibility in design (ACS sensor and actuator
selection, payload unique data services), assembly, integration
and testing
• Low Cost with High Experience – As a world leader in developing
and manufacturing affordable mission solutions, Orbital can
deliver highly capable ight systems under tight cost and
schedule constraints
The NuSTAR satellite in Orbital's Dulles, Virginia satellite manufacturing facility.
LEOSTAR-2 PROGRAMS
ICON
Mission: Space Weather
Launch: 2017, Pegasus
Status: In design
TESS
Mission: Exoplanet Exploration
Launch: 2017, TBD
Status: In design
Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2)
Mission: Atmospheric Monitoring
Launch: 2014, Delta II
Status: At launch site
Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array
(NuSTAR)
Mission: X-ray Detection of Black Holes
Launch: 2012, Pegasus XL
Status: Operational
Glory
Mission: Atmospheric and Solar
Irradiance Monitoring
Launch: 2011, Taurus XL
Status: Lost due to LV failure
Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO)
Mission: Atmospheric Monitoring
Launch: 2009, Taurus XL
Status: Lost due to LV failure
Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM)
Mission: Atmospheric Monitoring
Launch: 2007, Pegasus XL
Status: Baseline mission complete,
currently in extended operations
OrbView-3
Mission: Remote Sensing
Launch: 2003, Pegasus XL
Status: Spacecraft de-orbited after
image sensor failure
Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)
Mission: Astronomical Exploration
Launch: 2003, Pegasus XL
Status: Mission complete
Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment
(SORCE)
Mission: Solar Irradiance Measurement
Launch: 2003, Pegasus XL
Status: Baseline mission complete,
currently in extended operations
and Monitoring
OrbView-4
Mission: Remote Sensing
Launch: 2001, Taurus
Status: Lost due to LV failure
LEOStar™-2 Bus
Spacecraft Features
Spacecraft Mass: 150 kg to 500 kg (with propellant)
Launch Vehicle Pegasus
Compatibility: Falcon
Design Life: Up to 5 years
Orbit Options: LEO: 450-1,000 km altitude, 5
inclination. Adaptable to HEO, GEO and
deep space.
Geolocation: <12 m @ 90% Circular Error, post processing
(optional)
Operations: Simultaneous data acquisition by payload(s)
and data transmission capability
Onboard Data Scalable to 1,600 Gbit in data recorder and
Storage Capability: 32 Gbit in flight computer
Delivery: 30-36 months after receipt of order
Attitude Control Subsystem
ADCS Approach: S-band at 2 mbps, optional X-band at 15
mbps
Pointing Accuracy: <15 arcsec/axis available (3σ)
Pointing Knowledge: <6 arcsec/axis available (3σ)
Pointing Stability: <1 arcsec per second
Agility: Slew rate up to 1
Slew rate >3
Propulsion: Blowdown monopropellant hydrazine; up to
140 kg propellant (optional)
®
XL, Taurus®, Minotaur, Delta II and
°
-110°
°
/sec per axis (standard),
°
/sec per axis (optional)
Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite
SORCE solar irradiance monitoring satellite
Communications
Payload Data
Downlink: 2 Mbps S-band (standard), up to 150 Mbps
X-band (optional)
Command Uplink: 2 Kbps S-band (standard), up to 128 Kbps
(optional)
Payload Accomodation
External Volume: Up to 1.388 m3 in Pegasus XL
Maximum Payload 210 kg (463 lb.) (standard), up to 550 kg
Mass: (1,213 lb.) (optional)
Maximum Payload 118 W orbit average (standard), up to 2 kW
Power: (optional)
Interface
Architecture: RS-422/RS-485, LVDS, MIL-STD-1553
Orbital Sciences Corporation
45101 Warp Drive
•
Dulles, Virginia 20166
•
www.orbital.com
Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) satellite
For more information, please contact:
science@orbital.com
(703) 406-5000
©2014 Orbital Sciences Corporation FS006_06_ 2998
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