AeroCube 4 [The Aerospace Corporation]
Official name AEROCUBE 4.5B
Alternative name Aerocube 4.5B
Cospar ID 2012-048L
Norad ID 38768
Launch date 2012-09-13
Launch site AFWTR
Launch vehicle Atlas-5(401)
Country/Organization USA
Type application Technology
Operator The Aerospace Corporation
RCS size SMALL
Decay date 2025-03-13
Shape Box + 1 Pan
Mass (kg) 1
Height (m) 0.1
Width (m) 0.1
Depth (m) 0.1
Span (m^2) 0.3
Contractors The Aerospace Corporation
Propulsion None
Configuration CubeSat (1U)
Power 2 deployable and retractable solar arrays, solar cells, batteries

AeroCube-4 was a CubeSat technology demonstration mission within the PicoSat Program of The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA. The AeroCube-4 CubeSat series of 3 spacecraft was also designated as AC4-A, AC4-B and AC4-C. Two of the Aerospace-4 CubeSats were built for a national security agency. The third CubeSat was built for the for SMC/XR (Space and Missile Systems Center/Development Planning Directorate). The 3 satellite AeroCube-4 constellation was operated by The Aerospace Corporation.

The SMC/XR AeroCube-4 was a CubeSat with a 1U form factor and a mass of ~1.2 kg that contains various ?first of a kind? mission technologies, including solar panel wings that close and open to tune the ballistic coefficient enabling efficient formation flying, three-axis attitude control to 1º absolute accuracy.

AeroCube 4A and 4B, also called the AeroCube 4.5 series, were successfully launched with AeroCube 4 and implement a smallsat communications tech demonstration.

AeroCube 4C consists a launch vehicle environment data logger, which measures launch vibration in-situ, and contains a deorbit drag device that will be mechanically deployed at the end of its primary mission (size of 0.3 m2).

All three satellites were successfully launched on an Atlas-5(401) rocket.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
AEROCUBE 4.5A 2012-048K 2012-09-13 AFWTR Atlas-5(401) with Intruder 11, Intruder 12, CINEMA 1, CSSWE, Aeneas, SMDC-ONE 2.1, SMDC-ONE 2.2, STARE A, CXBN, AeroCube 4B, AeroCube 4C, CP 5, OUTSat
AEROCUBE 4.5B 2012-048L 2012-09-13 AFWTR Atlas-5(401) with Intruder 11, Intruder 12, CINEMA 1, CSSWE, Aeneas, SMDC-ONE 2.1, SMDC-ONE 2.2, STARE A, CXBN, AeroCube 4A, AeroCube 4C, CP 5, OUTSat
AEROCUBE 4 2012-048M 2012-09-13 AFWTR Atlas-5(401) with Intruder 11, Intruder 12, CINEMA 1, CSSWE, Aeneas, SMDC-ONE 2.1, SMDC-ONE 2.2, STARE A, CXBN, AeroCube 4A, AeroCube 4B, CP 5, OUTSat