# DiskSat

> platform for small satellites

**Wikidata**: [Q137555819](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q137555819)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DiskSat)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/disksat

## Summary
DiskSat is a model spacecraft and platform for small satellites developed by The Aerospace Corporation with funding from NASA. It functions as a spacecraft bus, providing the essential infrastructure and service module section required to support payloads such as space experiments or instruments. The platform is distinctively designed with a diameter of 1 meter and a height of 2.5 centimeters and is powered by solar cells.

## Key Facts
*   **Classification:** DiskSat is a model spacecraft and a subclass of **spacecraft bus**.
*   **Manufacturer:** The platform is manufactured by **The Aerospace Corporation**.
*   **Funding:** Development was funded by the **National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)**.
*   **Dimensions:** It has a diameter of **1 metre** and a height of **2.5 centimetres**.
*   **Power Source:** The system is powered by **solar cells**.
*   **Origin:** DiskSat originates from the **United States**.
*   **Function:** It serves as a general model and infrastructure for spacecraft, providing locations for payloads (typically experiments or instruments) and acting as a service module.

## FAQs
**Who developed and funds the DiskSat platform?**
DiskSat is manufactured by The Aerospace Corporation. Its development was funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

**What are the specific physical dimensions of DiskSat?**
The platform has a diameter of 1 metre and a height of 2.5 centimetres.

**What is the function of DiskSat?**
As a spacecraft bus, DiskSat acts as the infrastructure of a spacecraft. It provides locations for payloads, such as space experiments or instruments, and serves as the service module section.

**How is DiskSat powered?**
The DiskSat platform utilizes solar cells for its power requirements.

## Why It Matters
DiskSat represents a specific approach to small satellite design by offering a standardized spacecraft bus. As a "general model on which multiple-production spacecraft are often based," it streamlines the development process for space missions by providing pre-built infrastructure. This allows users to focus on the payload—such as space experiments or instruments—rather than the underlying service module. Its development by The Aerospace Corporation with NASA backing highlights its role in advancing small satellite technologies within the United States space sector.

## Notable For
*   **Unique Form Factor:** Its disc-like geometry (1m diameter vs. 2.5cm height) distinguishes it from traditional satellite bus geometries.
*   **Standardization:** It serves as a production-ready model (spacecraft bus) designed to accommodate various payloads.
*   **Solar Integration:** The platform is explicitly designed to be powered by solar cells integrated into its structure.

## Body

### Identity and Classification
DiskSat is a model spacecraft categorized as a subclass of **spacecraft bus**. In the context of spaceflight, a spacecraft bus refers to the primary infrastructure of a vehicle upon which multiple-production spacecraft are based. It serves as the service module section, providing the necessary physical structure, power, and interfaces to host a payload. These payloads typically consist of space experiments or scientific instruments.

### Technical Specifications
The physical architecture of DiskSat is defined by its flat, circular profile.
*   **Diameter:** 1 metre
*   **Height:** 2.5 centimetres
*   **Power System:** The platform relies on solar cells for energy generation.

### Development and Origins
The DiskSat platform originates from the **United States**. It was developed by **The Aerospace Corporation**, a nonprofit research and development organization. The development phase received financial support from the **National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)**.

### Information Resources
Documentation and details regarding DiskSat are maintained by space industry authorities. The platform is described in English on the official NASA website for small spacecraft. It also possesses entries in Wikipedia in both English (en) and German (de), and is cataloged in space technology databases such as Gunter's Space Page (referenced via skyrocket.de).

## References

1. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/smallspacecraft/disksat/)
2. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/disksat.htm)