Initial Orbital Performance Result of Nano-Satellite STARS-II

STARS-II was launched on 28 February 2014, as one of piggy bag satellites by the H-IIA rocket. It had been developed in Kagawa University.STARS-II consists of Mother Satellite (MS) and Daughter Satellite (DS) connected by Electro Dynamic Tether (EDT). MS deploys EDT having DS at its end. DS is a tethered space robot, and it has one arm whose end is attached to the EDT. Main missions are follows: (1) Electro Dynamic Tether (EDT) deployment by gravity gradient, (2) gathering electrical current by EDT, (3) Attitude control by arm link motion under tether tension by gravity gradient, (4) Tether deployment and retrieval by tether tension control. Unfortunately, STARS-II mission could not achieved perfectly under current status on the mid of April 2014. However, the STARS-II condition can be inferred by telemetries through CW beacons and change of orbit. This paper reports these results.