# Bevo-1 > failed American nanosatellite **Wikidata**: [Q115928594](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115928594) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bevo-1 ## Summary Bevo-1 is an entity based in the United States [1]. ## Summary Bevo‑1 was a 3.5 kg American nanosatellite built by the University of Texas at Austin and flown as a secondary payload on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS‑127 mission on 15 July 2009. Intended to be part of the DRAGONSat constellation, the cube‑shaped satellite failed to achieve a lasting orbit and re‑entered the atmosphere on 17 March 2010. ## Key Facts - **Launch date & time:** 15 July 2009, 22:03:10 UTC (STS‑127, Space Shuttle Endeavour). - **Launch site:** Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A. - **Mass:** 3.5 kg (launch weight). - **Dimensions:** 12.7 cm × 12.7 cm × 12.7 cm (cube). - **Operator & manufacturer:** University of Texas at Austin. - **Power source:** Spacecraft solar array. - **Mission role:** Secondary payload of the DRAGONSat program, launched alongside ANDE‑Castor and ANDE‑Pollux. - **Deployment date:** 30 July 2009. - **Orbit decay:** Atmospheric entry on 17 March 2010, marking the satellite as a failed mission. - **Aliases:** DRAGONSat Bevo 1, DRAGONSat 1, PARADIGM, Bevo1. ## FAQs ### Q: What was the purpose of Bevo‑1? A: Bevo‑1 was designed as a nanosatellite component of the DRAGONSat constellation to demonstrate low‑cost, university‑built space technology and to conduct experiments in low‑Earth orbit. ### Q: When and how was Bevo‑1 launched? A: It was launched on 15 July 2009 aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS‑127) from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A as a secondary payload. ### Q: Why is Bevo‑1 considered a failed satellite? A: Although successfully deployed on 30 July 2009, Bevo‑1’s orbit decayed rapidly, leading to atmospheric re‑entry on 17 March 2010, ending its mission prematurely. ### Q: Who built and operated Bevo‑1? A: The University of Texas at Austin designed, manufactured, and operated the satellite. ### Q: What were the physical characteristics of Bevo‑1? A: It was a 12.7 cm cube weighing 3.5 kg, powered by a solar array, and classified as a small (nanosatellite) secondary payload. ## Why It Matters Bevo‑1 illustrates both the promise and challenges of university‑led nanosatellite programs. By leveraging the Space Shuttle’s secondary‑payload capacity, the project provided hands‑on experience for students and demonstrated that academic institutions could design and fly space hardware at a fraction of traditional costs. Although the satellite’s orbit decayed within a year, the mission contributed valuable data on launch integration, deployment mechanisms, and the harsh realities of low‑Earth‑orbit lifetimes for small spacecraft. Lessons learned from Bevo‑1 have informed subsequent university satellite initiatives, shaping best practices for thermal control, power budgeting, and orbital decay mitigation. In the broader context of the rapidly expanding small‑sat market, Bevo‑1 serves as an early case study of how educational institutions can participate in space exploration, highlighting both the technical hurdles to overcome and the educational benefits of real‑world space missions. ## Notable For - First university‑built nanosatellite launched as a secondary payload on a Space Shuttle mission. - Part of the DRAGONSat program, sharing launch with the ANDE‑Castor and ANDE‑Pollux satellites. - Demonstrated rapid deployment and subsequent atmospheric re‑entry within a year, providing decay data for cube‑sat designs. - Served as a practical training platform for students at the University of Texas at Austin in satellite engineering. - Highlighted the limitations of small‑sat orbital longevity when launched without dedicated orbit‑maintenance capabilities. ## Body ### Overview Bevo‑1 (also known as DRAGONSat Bevo 1, DRAGONSat 1, PARADIGM, or Bevo1) was a nanosatellite developed by the University of Texas at Austin. Classified as a small satellite and secondary payload, it formed part of the larger DRAGONSat constellation aimed at low‑cost space experimentation. ### Mission Profile - **Launch:** 15 July 2009, 22:03:10 UTC on Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS‑127). - **Launch vehicle:** Space Shuttle, specifically the Endeavour orbiter. - **Launch site:** Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A. - **Co‑payloads:** ANDE‑Castor and ANDE‑Pollux, also secondary payloads on the same mission. - **Deployment:** 30 July 2009 after shuttle payload bay release. ### Technical Specifications - **Mass:** 3.5 kg (launch weight). - **Form factor:** Cube, 12.7 cm on each side (length, width, height). - **Power:** Solar array mounted on the spacecraft body. - **Operator & Manufacturer:** University of Texas at Austin. - **Country of origin:** United States. ### Launch and Deployment Bevo‑1 rode in the shuttle’s payload bay as a secondary payload. After the main mission objectives were completed, the shuttle’s robotic arm released the satellite, allowing it to separate and begin its independent orbit on 30 July 2009. ### End of Mission The satellite’s orbit decayed rapidly, leading to atmospheric entry on 17 March 2010. This early re‑entry classified Bevo‑1 as a failed mission, but the decay timeline provided useful data for future nanosatellite orbital lifetime modeling. ### Related Projects Bevo‑1 was integrated within the DRAGONSat program, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of low‑cost, university‑driven satellite constellations. Its experience informed later student satellite projects and contributed to the growing body of knowledge on small‑sat launch integration and orbital dynamics. ## References 1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/bevo-1.htm) 2. Jonathan's Space Report 3. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=2009-038B) 4. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2009-038B)