astronomy

STARSHINE (satellite)

STARSHINE (satellite) is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand STARSHINE (satellite) rather than just read about it. In short: The STARSHINE (Student Tracked Atmospheric Research Satellite Heuristic International Networking Experiment) series of three (later, a fourth one was also launched) artificial satellites were student participatory missions sponsored by the United States Naval Research Laboratory (the fourth STARSHINE was a NASA mission). Satellites The STARSHINE launches were considered launches of opportunity.

Key takeaways

STARSHINE (satellite) belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect STARSHINE (satellite) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of STARSHINE (satellite) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The STARSHINE (Student Tracked Atmospheric Research Satellite Heuristic International Networking Experiment) series of three (later, a fourth one was also launched) artificial satellites were student participatory missions sponsored by the United States Naval Research Laboratory (the fourth STARSHINE was a NASA mission).

Satellites The STARSHINE launches were considered launches of opportunity.

STARSHINE 1

STARSHINE 1 was a spherical satellite that was fitted with almost nine hundred small mirrors polished by students from around the world. It was launched June 5, 1999 from the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-96. Once launched, a network of over 20,000 students from eighteen countries tracked the satellite by observing sunlight glinting off the mirrors and networked their observations via the Internet. The students used these observations to calculate air drag, solar activity, and other orbit related properties of the satellite. STARSHINE 1 re-entered and burned up in the Earth's upper atmosphere on February 18, 2000.

STARSHINE 2 STARSHINE 2 and 3 had systems added to impart spin to these satellites in an effort to improve the solar-reflected flash rate, as well as a number of laser retroreflectors to introduce the students to satellite laser ranging. The satellites were constructed largely from spare flight hardware. STARSHINE 2 launched December 5, 2001 from the Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-108. It re-entered and burned up in the Earth's upper atmosphere on April 26, 2002.

STARSHINE 3

STARSHINE 3 has the same systems as role as STARSHINE-2. It was launched on September 29, 2001 as part of the Kodiak Star Athena I mission. In November 2001, the amateur radio payload on Starshine 3 was designated STARSHINE-OSCAR-43, or SO-43. STARSHINE-3 re-entered and burned up in the Earth's upper atmosphere on January 21, 2003. It had made 7434 revolutions around the Earth since its launch.

STARSHINE 4 A further fourth satellite, STARSHINE 4, was launched aboard the maiden flight of Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket on 25 May 2020. The launch vehicle failed five seconds after deployment from the carrier aircraft and the satellite did not reach orbit.

See also LAGEOS (Laser Geodynamics Satellites)—a series of scientific research satellites designed to provide an orbiting laser ranging benchmark for geodynamical studies of the Earth Etalon (satellite) Satellite laser ranging

References

External sources Starshine project website Space Sciences: The Navy & Satellites - Starshine 2 Space Sciences: The Navy & Satellites - Starshine 3

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with STARSHINE (satellite)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what STARSHINE (satellite) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to STARSHINE (satellite) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about STARSHINE (satellite) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of STARSHINE (satellite)

In research: STARSHINE (satellite) appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses STARSHINE (satellite) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: STARSHINE (satellite) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Amateur radio satellites, Educational projects, Laser ranging satellites, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for STARSHINE (satellite) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study STARSHINE (satellite) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what STARSHINE (satellite) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain STARSHINE (satellite) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is STARSHINE (satellite) in simple terms?

Why does STARSHINE (satellite) matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study STARSHINE (satellite)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on STARSHINE (satellite).