FASTRAC

Formation Autonomy Spacecraft with Thrust, Relnav, Attitude and Crosslink is a pair of nanosatellites developed and built by students at The University of Texas at Austin. The project is part of a program sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), whose goal is to lead the development of affordable space technology. The FASTRAC mission will specifically investigate technologies that facilitate the operation of multiple satellites in formation. These enabling technologies include relative navigation, cross-link communications, attitude determination, and thrust. Due to the high cost of lifting mass into orbit, there is a strong initiative to miniaturize the overall weight of spacecraft. The utilization of formations of satellites, in place of large single satellites, reduces the risk of single point failure and allows for the use of low-cost hardware.

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Formation Autonomy Spacecraft with Thrust, Relnav, Attitude and Crosslink
spacecraft constellation, space mission, technology demonstration, 

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MissionSequence

FASTRAC

Five satellites sit atop a Minotaur IV launch vehicle at Kodiak Launch Complex, Alaska

Type	Subtype	Date	Description	Notes	Source
commons	image		MissionSequence		Commons
commons	image		FASTRAC		Commons
commons	image		Five satellites sit atop a Minotaur IV launch vehicle at Kodiak Launch Complex, Alaska		Commons