CNCE Blk. 1 [MDA]
Official name CNCE4
Alternative name CNCE 4
Cospar ID 2022-057AM
Norad ID 52767
Launch date 2022-05-25
Launch site AFETR
Launch vehicle Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5)
Country/Organization USA
Type application Technology
Operator Missile Defense Agency (MDA)
RCS size SMALL
Decay date 2024-04-23
Shape Box
Mass (kg) 4
Height (m) 0.3
Width (m) 0.1
Depth (m) 0.1
Span (m^2) 0.3
Configuration CubeSat (3U)
Power Solar cells, batteries

The CNCE Blk.1 (CubeSat Network Communications Experiment Block 1) satellites by the Missile Defense Agency will replicate an advanced on-orbit concept of operations involving satellite-to-satellite communications and satellite-to-ground communications in the space environment.

The CNCE Blk 1 satellites will support experiments in autonomous mesh networking. They will mimic two suborbital interceptor kill vehicles and test communications between them.

Two of these, CNCE 1 and CNCE 3, were launched on a shared LauncherOne rocket in 2021.

Two more improved CNCE Blk 2 satellites, called CNCE 4 and CNCE 5 were launched in May 2022.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
CNCE1 2021-058E 2021-06-30 WRAS LauncherOne with HALO-Net Free Flyer, Gunsmoke-J 4, CNCE 3, Brik-2, STORK 4, STORK 5
CNCE3 2021-058D 2021-06-30 WRAS LauncherOne with HALO-Net Free Flyer, Gunsmoke-J 4, CNCE 1, Brik-2, STORK 4, STORK 5
CNCE4 2022-057AM 2022-05-25 AFETR Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) with Umbra 03, ICEYE X17, ..., X20, X24, ÑuSat 28, ..., 31, GHGSat C3, C4, C5, Hawk 5A, 5B, 5C, CICERO-2 1, 2, Sherpa-AC 1, ION-SCV 006, Guardian 1, SBUDNIC, Vigoride 3, SelfieSat, FossaSat 2E7, ..., 2E13, Veery FS-1, Urdaneta-Armsat 1, Spark 2, AMS, CNCE 4, 5, Platform 1, BroncoSat 1, Foresail 1, Planetum 1, SPiN 1, Connecta T1.1, Centauri 5, Lemur-2 152, Lemur-2 153, ..., 156, VariSat 1C, PTD 3, CPOD A, B, OMD 1
CNCE5 2022-057AN 2022-05-25 AFETR Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) with Umbra 03, ICEYE X17, ..., X20, X24, ÑuSat 28, ..., 31, GHGSat C3, C4, C5, Hawk 5A, 5B, 5C, CICERO-2 1, 2, Sherpa-AC 1, ION-SCV 006, Guardian 1, SBUDNIC, Vigoride 3, SelfieSat, FossaSat 2E7, ..., 2E13, Veery FS-1, Urdaneta-Armsat 1, Spark 2, AMS, CNCE 4, 5, Platform 1, BroncoSat 1, Foresail 1, Planetum 1, SPiN 1, Connecta T1.1, Centauri 5, Lemur-2 152, Lemur-2 153, ..., 156, VariSat 1C, PTD 3, CPOD A, B, OMD 1