CUTE-1.7 + APD

CUTE-1.7 + APD

Mission type	Technology
Operator	Tokyo Institute of Technology
COSPAR ID	2006-005C
SATCAT №	28941
Mission duration	0.2 years achieved
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass	3 kilograms (6.6 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	February 21, 2006, 21:28:00 (2006-02-21UTC21:28Z) UTC
Rocket	M-V
Launch site	Uchinoura
End of mission
Last contact	March 16, 2006 (2006-03-17)
Decay date	October 25, 2009
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee	299 kilometres (186 mi)
Apogee	712 kilometres (442 mi)
Inclination	98.19 degrees
Period	94.72 minutes

CUTE-1.7 + APD (Cubical Tokyo Tech Engineering satellite 1.7) or CO-56 (Cubesat-Oscar-56) is an amateur radio satellite in the form of a double CubeSat. The satellite uses commercial off-the-shelf components extensively, in particular, using the Hitachi NPD-20JWL PDA as a control computer, and using a USB hub for sensor communications. At the end of its mission, the satellite will deploy an electrodynamic tether to help it deorbit. It was launched on February 21 2006 on board a Japanese launcher M-V.

On March 16, 2006, the communication system malfunctioned so that it is transmitting unmodulated carrier wave and unable to communicate. The satellite decayed from orbit on 25 October 2009. A follow-up mission, CUTE-1.7 + APD II, was launched in April 2008 and remains operational.

See also

• List of CubeSats

External links

• Official homepage
• Summary article
• Telemetry (in Czech)