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UT Austin Students' Satellites Headed for Space

Members of the FASTRAC team

Photo: Caroling Lee
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 Several members of the FASTRAC student team surround the satellite they designed and built which will be launched into space in 2006.Their satellite design was chosen from 13 previously chosen participating universities who worked on their designs for the last two years.

Clockwise from Left: Dr. Laxminarayan Raja, Jamin Greenbaum, Dr. Greg Holt, Sam Morrison, Thomas Campbell, Millan Diaz-Aguado, Stephanie Sellers, Marcin Pilinski, Emily Burrough, Shaun Stewart, Jeffrey Mauldin, and Dr. Glenn Lightsey

 

 

 

Nano-satellite known as FASTRAC

Photo: Caroling Lee
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 The nano-satellite known as FASTRAC (Formation Autonomy Spacecraft  with Thrust, Relnav, Attitude and Crosslink) was designed and built in the Satellite Design Lab by a group of about 25 volunteer students and three Faculty and Advisors, Dr. Glenn Lightsey, Dr. Wallace Fowler and Dr. Laxminarayan Raja.

Detail of one part of the twin satellite

Photo: Caroling Lee
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 The satellite is made up of two parts which will separate once in orbit. This close-up details one part of the twin satellite.

Dr. Fowler talks with Sam Morrison, an 8th grader

Photo: Caroling Lee
Click on photo for high res image.

 Sam Morrison, an 8th grader who interned with the FASTRAC team this summer, talks with Dr. Wallace Fowler, one of the FASTRAC faculty advisors.