SkyFire (spacecraft)


SkyFire is a planned nanosatellite spacecraft that will fly by the Moon and collect surface spectroscopy and thermography. It is planned to fly on the Space Launch System.

Mission

Its purpose is that of a Geosynchronous Earth Orbit technology demonstration using a low-cost 6U CubeSat spacecraft. SkyFire will perform a lunar flyby, collecting spectroscopy and thermography for surface characterization, remote sensing, and site selection. The spacecraft includes two deployable solar arrays and will have a total mass of about.
SkyFire was selected in April 2015 by NASA's NextSTEP program and awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin Space systems worth $1.4 million for further development.

Launch

SkyFire will fly along other 12 CubeSats as a secondary payload mission on the maiden flight of the Space Launch System.

Propulsion

SkyFire will also demonstrate a low thrust electric propulsion technology called electrospray propulsion to lower the spacecraft's orbit for additional science and technology mission objectives.