SNAP Spacecraft - Nanosats Database

Spacecraft name	SNaP-1 (SNAP, SNAP-3)
Type	CubeSat
Units or mass	3U
Status	Was semi-operational until 2013-12-XX, a few weeks? (Smallsat 2020)
Launched	2013-12-06
NORAD ID	39468
Deployer	P-POD (Poly-Picosatellite Orbital Deployer)
Launcher	Atlas V
Organization	US Army Space and Missile Defense Command
Institution	Military
Entity	Government (Civil / Military)
Headquarters	US
Launch brokerer	Tyvak, ?
Oneliner	Related to the SMDC NAnosatellite Program (SNaP) - Joint Capabilities Technology Demonstrations.
Description	Related to the SMDC NAnosatellite Program (SNaP) - Joint Capabilities Technology Demonstrations.
Results	After a successful on-orbit insertion, SNaP-1 was not contacted until 6 January 2014 when the spacecraft experienced near full sun on-orbit conditions (high beta). It was discovered that the spacecraft went into power saver mode during initial de-tumble maneuver. Due to high momentum in the vehicle the spacecraft was never able to de-tumble leaving it unable to maintain sun-tracking. Contact was lost shortly after the end of on-orbit full sun conditions.
Failure cause	High tumble and contact lost after full Sun illumination conditions ended.
Notes	NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative lists this as 3x3U CubeSat but probably only one was launched.
Sources	[1] [2] [3]
Photo sources	[1]
On the same launch	AeroCube-5A AeroCube-5B ALICE CUNYSAT 1 FIREBIRD A FIREBIRD B IPEX M-Cubed 2 SMDC-ONE 3.1 (Charlie) SMDC-ONE 3.2 (David) SNAP TacSat-6

Last modified: 2024-09-07