Red-Eye 2 [NASA]
Official name REDEYE 2 (MERLOT)
Alternative name Red-Eye 2
Cospar ID 1998-067RM
Norad ID 45800
Launch date 1998-11-20
Launch site TTMTR
Launch vehicle Antares-230+
Country/Organization USA
Type application Experimental
Operator DARPA
RCS size MEDIUM
Decay date 2022-11-16
Shape Box
Mass (kg) 50
Height (m) 1
Width (m) 1
Depth (m) 1
Contractors Millennium Space Systems
Equipment ?
Propulsion ?
Configuration Altair-E1 bus
Power Solar arrays, batteries

RED-EYE is a DARPA program to develop and demonstrate technologies which increase the utility of low-cost microsatellites.

RED-EYE is a proprietary investigation that develops and demonstrates technologies that increase the utility of low-cost microsatellites. RED-EYE demonstrates lightweight, low-power, gimballed inter-satellite communications links appropriate for the approximately 100 kg class satellites. RED-EYE also demonstrates new attitude control components, onboard processors, software-defined radios and telescope technology.

Because the satellites were launched from the ISS, they could not be equipped with propulsion. The Millennium Space System team developed a form of aerodynamic drag modulation to control the constellation?s orbital spacing.

Red-Eye 1 (Pinot) was launched as an internal payload on the Dragon CRS-17 mission to the ISS, where it was deployed via the JEM airlock using the NanoRacks Kaber deployer on 27 June 2019.

Red-Eye 2 (Merlot) was launched onboard of Cygnus CRS-13 to the ISS. It was deployed on 17 June 2020.

Red-Eye 3 (Cabernet) was released from the ISS later in June 2020.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
REDEYE 1 (PINOT) 1998-067QJ 1998-11-20 TTMTR Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) with Dragon CRS-17, OCO 3, STP-H6
REDEYE 2 (MERLOT) 1998-067RM 1998-11-20 TTMTR Antares-230+ with Cygnus CRS-13, Red-Eye 3, DeMI, TechEdSat 10
REDEYE 3 (CABERNET) 1998-067RN 1998-11-20 TTMTR Antares-230+ with Cygnus CRS-13, Red-Eye 2, DeMI, TechEdSat 10