This month, we are excited to share with you an update from Phil Swazey who is our Lead Satellite Engineer but you can call him “SatelliteGuy”:
The Nexus One satellite, likely to be known as NXS1, shall be built by Space Inventor (
http://space-inventor.com/). To the best of Nexus’ knowledge this might be the first satellite ever purchased using crypto currency and would set a new precedent.
This first satellite will be a 1U form factor which is 10cmx10cmx10cm and launched on a Vector rocket (
https://vector-launch.com/).
The planned satellite launch location is the Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska which was formerly known as the Kodiak Launch Complex. The satellite is currently planned to be launched into a sun-synchronous orbit.
Operations of the satellite will be performed from Space Inventors facility and tracking station in Denmark. Nexus is also considering whether to build a satellite tracking facility in Arizona to initially receive data from the satellite and perhaps even eventually operate the satellite.
The design of the satellite is very basic, and it will not have a propulsion system on board. It will maintain a 3-axis nadir pointing attitude and utilize a UHF transceiver for communications. Nexus will need to obtain an FCC experimental license to launch and operate the satellite, which has not yet been achieved. Nexus will also need to apply for an FCC license to operate any ground stations to be located in the United States or its territories.
All of these plans may be changed or cancelled at any time for any reason, but the above is the current likely path the organization is heading. Additional information on this program might be further disclosed in the coming months in due course.
Here is an update from Vector too:
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/03/vector-founder-100-percent-confident-in-first-orbital-launch-this-year/- Scooped off Nexus reddit
