Science
AEROCUBE 16B
CubeSat Materials Science Technology Demonstrator · The Aerospace Corporation
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Companion satellite to AeroCube-16A, flying together to conduct a comparative materials science experiment in orbit. By exposing similar or differing material samples to space simultaneously on two separate spacecraft, researchers can better isolate variables affecting material degradation — a subtle but scientifically valuable advantage of paired-satellite missions over single-spacecraft experiments.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Low Earth Orbitcan appear as a fast-moving star at dawn or dusk
- Altitude
- 269–271 mi (433–437 km)
- Inclination
- 50.0°
- One orbit
- 93.1 minutes15.5 orbits a day
- NORAD ID
- 59291
- Int’l designator
- 2024-053D
- Launched
- 2024
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 21 Sep 2026.
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